Don't Fight It
by Tardis19
Summary: Edward Cullen's move to Forks was the last thing he wanted, and Forks was the last place he wanted to be. Once he meets the beautiful Bella Swan, Edward's life takes a turn and he finds that he doesn't mind Forks so much. But Edward isn't the only one who wants Bella, and she isn't the only one who wants Edward. Teen Fic/AH
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Here's a little something to tide you over until I start posting my newest story in July. This story has been up on Wattpad for a while now, and I thought I'd share it over here. I'll apologize in advance for the errors as it's unbeta'd. A bit about this story: it's a teen fic and has been rated as such. This story will have alternate POVs. Edward's will be odd chapters, and Bella's will be even chapters. **

**I'll do my best to update twice a week, Tuesdays and Fridays as long as RL doesn't get in the way.**

* * *

**EPOV**

I scowled at the scenery that passed me by as my dad drove us toward his house in the middle of nowhere. Okay, so it wasn't really the middle of nowhere, but Forks, Washington was a small town surrounded by forests, and it always seemed to be raining. Within minutes of stepping off the plane in Seattle, I was already missing the warmth and sunshine of Phoenix.

A month ago, my mother had sat me down and told me that she had met some guy online who lived in Jacksonville, Florida and that she was madly in love with him. That being said, she told me that she was moving to Jacksonville, getting married, and that I would be going to live with my father for the remainder of my high school career. Needless to say, I had been less than pleased.

Now, there I was, riding in a car with my father who was practically a stranger. Sure, I'd seen him off and on over the years, but usually only for a week or two at a time. I had a feeling life in Forks was going to be rough.

"I figured we'd head over to the school tomorrow to get you registered," Carlisle said as we passed the sign welcoming us to Forks.

"Yeah, that's fine," I muttered.

"Okay, well . . . I'll drop you off at the house, then I have to go into work for a while."

I just nodded as I continued to stare out the window. Moments later, we pulled into the drive that led to my dad's huge house. I didn't understand why he needed such a huge house when he was the only one that lived there but whatever.

Once the car was parked, I grabbed some of my crap and followed him inside. I always felt like an outsider in his house. It was meticulously clean; barely a hint that anyone even lived there. Although, seeing as Carlisle was a surgeon, he probably wasn't there all that much.

I headed up the stairs,and made my way to my bedroom. I was surprised to see that it had been updated since the last time I'd been there. Instead of the crappy twin bed that I'd had for forever, there was now a king sized bed in its place.

"Hope you don't mind that I made a few changes," Carlisle said.

"No, it's fine. Much better than the old bed."

"Yeah, I figured as much. I . . . uh, had some help with the decorating," he mumbled as he set down the rest of my bags, a faint blush rising on his cheeks.

Interesting. "It's nice," I said and it was.

There was a cushy black couch underneath the large window and everything was accented in black and white.

"Okay, well. I gotta go. I'll be back around seven. I'll pick up some dinner for us. Pizza, okay?"

"Sure."

He gave me a little wave and headed downstairs and out to the Mercedes. I wandered around my room for a bit, putting stuff away and trying to figure out how the hell I was going to survive in Forks. Thirty minutes later, I was mostly unpacked and figured I'd give my mom a call.

"Hey, Mom, it's me. I've arrived in Forks, and it's cold and dreary. No big surprise there. Just give me a call back. Love you," I said to her voicemail before hanging up.

Not having much else to do, I wandered downstairs and into the living room. Carlisle had gotten a 50" flatscreen since the last time I'd been there, so I plopped down on the couch and began to channel surf.

A little after seven, I heard Carlisle's car pull into the drive. I made my way downstairs and found him entering the house with a pizza in hand.

"Grab some plates and we'll eat in the living room," he told me.

I fumbled around the cupboards until I found the plates, then headed into the living room. He had grabbed a cheese and pepperoni pizza, and I scowled as I stared at it.

"Help yourself, kid."

"Thanks," I muttered as I grabbed a slice and began picking off the pepperoni.

"You don't like pepperoni?"

"I've never liked pepperoni," I reminded him.

A look of dawning crossed his face. "Oh, yeah. I forgot. Sorry, Ed."

I shrugged and went about picking the meat off my pizza. I took a bite, shuddering in disgust at the taste of the pepperoni.

"You get settled in all right?"

I nodded. I hadn't brought a whole lot with me and mom was sending the rest of my stuff later in the week.

"Well, I figure we'll get you set up at the school tomorrow morning."

Again, I nodded. He'd already told me all of that.

Later that night as I was in my new bed, I found myself staring at the ceiling and listening to the howling of the wind as a storm blew in. I'd been in Forks less than twenty-four hours and I already hated it. I'd hated it when I'd come to visit, and I wasn't looking forward to living there.

* * *

"Come on, Ed, let's go. Our appointment at the school is in twenty minutes," Carlisle hollered up the stairs.

Letting out a heavy sigh, I headed down the stairs, managing to trip and smack my head into the wall.

"Fuck!" I muttered underneath my breath as I felt a headache begin to form.

I made my way out to the car and climbed in. Thirty minutes later, we pulled up in front of the pathetic cluster of buildings known as Forks High. I was not looking forward to starting my junior year of high school in a new school, much less this school.

Following Carlisle into the largest building, I gave the hall a sneer. It was so rundown. Nothing at all like my school back in Phoenix with its glossy floors and brightly colored walls. Carlisle opened the door to the office and in we went.

"Dr. Cullen! Come in, come in," an overweight woman with ungodly red hair said as we stepped through the door. "Oh, you must be Edward! I'm Mrs. Cope, the school secretary. Go ahead and take a seat and Ms. Jackson, the guidance counselor, will be right with you."

We each took a seat in some ugly chairs left over from the 70s and waited a few minutes before a matronly woman walked toward us. She introduced herself and led us toward her office.

"Here's your class schedule, Edward," she said, handing me a printed piece of paper.

I took it from her, quickly scanning over it. No honors classes or college-prep courses. I shouldn't have been surprised.

"Well, classes start in about thirty minutes, so here's your locker number and combination. You also need to have each of your teachers sign this slip, then please return it at the end of the day," she said, interrupting my internal thoughts.

_Wait. What? _I looked at her a bit bewildered. I was expected to start today? I didn't have anything.

"I . . . uh, don't have anything with me. I hadn't realized that I would be starting today," I said, feeling a bit like an idiot.

"Well, I'm sure we can scrounge up a notebook and some pens for you," Ms. Jackson said as she led us toward the door.

Ten minutes later, I was clutching a notebook, an old pen, and a pencil that looked like a beaver had gnawed on it. Carlisle had headed off to work, and I was left standing in the hallway. I felt like a complete loser. Slowly, after making sure no one was around, I pulled out the map that Mrs. Cope had given me. I saw that my locker was down the hall and around the corner so that was where I went.

It took a few tries to get the old lock open but once I had, I shoved my coat into it, thinking it was absurd that I had to wear coat in freaking August. As I was closing my locker, the school started to come to life. Footsteps could be heard echoing down the halls, voices bouncing off the walls.

I knew it would only be a matter of minutes before I became the sideshow freak. At least in Phoenix, the school had been so big that I hadn't been bothered. I'd been on the baseball team but hadn't been one of the popular kids, and I had been okay with that.

My morning went by extremely slowly. I was forced to introduce myself in front of the class in both English and History, cringing the whole time, but at least my Spanish teacher let me off the hook. By the time lunch rolled around, I was more than ready to go hide in a corner. Unfortunately, I wasn't that lucky. I was accosted by a bubbly brunette with huge hair while standing in the lunch line.

"Hi! Edward, right? I'm Jessica Stanley! We have English together."

"Oh, yeah. Nice to meet you."

She beamed at me. "Do you want to sit with us?"

"Uh, sure," I said despite the fact that it was the last thing I wanted to do.

After paying for my lunch, I followed her to a table near a window.

"Hey, guys! This is Edward. Edward this is Lauren, Mike, Eric, and Tyler."

I gave a small wave after setting my tray down and pulling out a chair.

"Where you from, Edward?" the guy named Mike asked me as I took a bite of an apple.

Swallowing my food, I answered, "Phoenix."

"Shouldn't you be more tan?"

"My mother's an albino," I joked.

"Oh."

I rolled my eyes at his obliviousness to my joke. A peel of laughter from across the cafeteria caught my attention,and I turned my head and found the source. It had come from a gorgeous brunette.

"Don't bother, man. She won't look at you twice. She doesn't think any of us are worth shit," Mike scowled.

"Who is she?"

"Bella Swan," Lauren said with a sneer. "All the Swans are adopted or some shit, yet they're all dating each other. A bit incestuous if you ask me."

"Except Bella," Tyler injected. "She's the only single one in the group. Rosalie, the hot blonde, is with the big guy Emmett. Alice, the little one, is hooked up with the other guy, Jasper."

I raised an eyebrow at that information. Even in Phoenix the dating adoptees would have drawn attention. I couldn't help but continue to stare at the table, particularly at Bella. She was stunning and something about her drew me in.

"Give it up, dude. You don't have a shot," Eric told me.

"Yeah, I hear ya," I mumbled as I turned my focus back to my table.

"Did you leave a girlfriend back in Phoenix?" Lauren asked as she leaned across the table, putting her tits on display.

"No."

She gave me what I think was supposed to be a seductive smile. "Well then, perhaps we can hang out sometime," she suggested.

I swallowed back a grimace at the thought. "Maybe," I replied not wanting to commit myself to anything.

The bell rang indicating it was the end of the lunch and as I gathered up my garbage Jessica leaned over to whisper to me.

"Lauren's a bit of a slut. Avoid her if you can."

_Great._ "Thanks for the heads up," I whispered back.

"Of course. That's what friends are for," she said as she linked her arm through mine. I was a bit uncomfortable with her affection and gently extracted myself from her. She walked with me to Biology then headed off down the hall. I opened the door to the classroom and headed toward the balding man at the desk.

"You must be Edward. I'm Mr. Banner," he said as he signed the slip of paper I gave him, before handing it back to me. "Let me grab you a book then you can take a seat at the second to last lab table."

In the time it took for him to get me a book, the class had started to fill up with students who were all staring at me. Once I had my book in hand, I made my way toward the table he'd assigned me to. I kept my head down, trying to avoid the curious looks when I tripped over someone's backpack and made a fool of myself.

My cheeks were red and hot as I sat down at my table, and I wanted to die of embarrassment. Opening up my notebook, I wrote down the date and drew some scribbles in the margin. Anything to avoid looking at my peers. It wasn't until someone sat down next to me that I lifted my head.

My breath caught in my throat as I saw that Bella Swan was sitting next to me. My heart began to pump furiously and my cheeks heated up in a blush. If she said anything to me, I'd probably die. Or at least make a fool of myself.

She'd angled herself away from me and was busy getting her stuff out as Mr. Banner began class. After fifteen minutes of lecture, he started handing out worksheets and cases of slides.

"I need one person from each table to grab a microscope," he said.

Moving quickly, Bella got up and grabbed a microscope from the back of the class and set it in the middle of our table. I took the the sheet and slides that Mr. Banner handed me and waited for his instructions.

"Okay, folks. I want you to look at these slides and correctly identify them. You may begin."

With trembling hands, I set the first slide on under the microscope. I hoped like hell that Bella didn't notice how nervous I was.

I took a quick look at it and knew immediately what it was. I'd done the same lab back in Phoenix.

"Prophase," I mumbled and went to write it on the sheet.

"Am I allowed to look or are you doing this lab on your own?" she snarked from beside me.

"Sorry," I mumbled as she took a turn, moving out of her way.

"Prophase," she agreed before grabbing the next slide at the same time that I did.

Our hands brushed and it felt like lightening had hit me. Quickly, she yanked her hand away. I took a glance at her face and she looked … almost scared. Which was ridiculous. I mean, why would she be scared of me?

We spent the rest of class staying out of each other's way and as soon as the bell rang she booked it out of there. Good thing my self-esteem was all ready low or that could've given me a complex.

Taking my schedule out of my back pocket, I realized I had gym next. I trudged across the school grounds to the gymnasium and found Mike, Eric, and Tyler hanging around.

We walked into the gym together where I handed my slip to Coach Clapp and was told I could sit out for the day, but I'd need to dress for gym tomorrow. Glad not to have to participate, I sat in the bleachers and watched as an intense game of badminton began.

The rest of the afternoon went by, and I noticed that I had classes with most of the Swans at one point or another. They seemed a bit standoffish, and I noticed tha rarely anybody spoke to them. I wondered if they were standoffish on purpose or if people at Forks High were just rude.

Finally, the last bell of the day rang and as I walked to my locker, I realized that I had no idea how I was getting home. After struggling to get my locker open, I grabbed my coat, and headed outside. I pulled my phone from my pocket and gave Carlisle a call.

"Dad? It's Edward."

"Hi, son. How was school?"

"Meh."

"Sorry, Edward. I've got to go. An ambulance just pulled up," he said before hanging up.

I stared at the phone in disbelief. How the hell was I supposed to get home? Carlisle's house was in the middle of the woods; a good fifteen miles from the school. Huffing out a sigh, I adjusted the books and notebook in my arms and began to walk toward the direction of his house.

An hour and a half later, I was pissed the hell off and lost. I had no idea where the hell I was, just that I was surrounded by woods and rain was starting to fall. I zipped my coat up against the rain and wind and trudged on. As I walked around the bend of the road, a car came out of nowhere, splashing water and mud all over me.

"Shit!" I screamed into the wind.

Pulling out my phone, I tried Carlisle yet again. And again, it went to voicemail. I realized that he was an important doctor and all, but you don't just leave your kid to walk fifteen miles home after their first day of school.

Seeing a large rock on the side of the road, I made my way over to and sat down regardless of the fact that it was wet. My feet hurt, I was tired, cold, and wet. And very, very angry. After sitting for a few minutes, I stood up and began my walk again. I wanted to get home before it was dark. Hanging out in the woods at night was not my idea of a good time. I'd walked a good twenty minutes or so before another car came barreling down the road before pulling up next to me.

"Hey! You're the new guy, right?" a guy asked from inside. I peered through the rolled down window and saw one of the Swan kids behind the wheel.

"Yeah."

"Need a ride?"

At that point, I was willing to take a ride with a serial killer than keep on walking lost in the rain.

"Thanks," I said as I climbed in, feeling bad that I was getting water all over his jeep.

"I'm Emmett Swan."

"Edward Cullen."

"Whatcha doin' wandering around on this road?"

"I got lost walking to my dad's house," I explained.

"Yeah, you did. Your way off the path. You shoulda taken a left at the fork in the road about three miles back," he told me as he turned the car around.

"Oh. What brings you this way?"

"We live down that way," he said, jabbing a thumb toward the direction I'd been walking.

Emmett spent the five minute ride talking about Forks and himself and his girlfriend. I didn't have to say anything, which was nice because I sucked at making small talk. We pulled into the drive, and I thanked him for the ride.

"No prob, kid."

By the time Carlisle arrived home, I'd finished my homework was heating up some soup.

"Hey, Edward," he said as he came into the room.

I grunted a hello, still pissed at him for leaving me like that.

"We didn't really get a chance to talk this afternoon. So, I take it you survived your first day of school."

I plopped down in a chair at the kitchen table and began to blow on my soup.

"It was fine except for having to walk home in the rain. Didn't help that I got lost."

Shame washed over Carlisle's face as he listened to me. "Oh, Edward. I'm sorry, son. I didn't even think about getting you from school. We had a bad accident come in, and it completely slipped my mind. I have tomorrow off. We'll go get you a car after school."

He was going to buy me a car? Mom had always said that Carlisle used to try and buy her affection with expensive gifts, but I really did need a car. He obviously couldn't be relied on to pick me up.

"That's fine."

Done with my measly dinner, I headed up to my room where I turned on my iPod and lost myself in some music.

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**a/n: Well, I'm eager to know what you thought. Once again, I apologize for the errors.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks so much for all the wonderful feedback from the first chapter! On you go.**

* * *

**BPOV**

I let out a huff as I climbed into Emmett's jeep. He and Rose were fighting about something, and I so didn't want to hear it. Impatiently, I waited for everyone to get their butts into gear and climb in. We were going to be late, and if there was one thing I hated, it was being late.

We arrived at school with a few minutes to spare, and I dashed to my locker. As I shoved my coat in it and grabbed my books, I heard Jessica Stanley talking about a new kid. Dr. Cullen's son from what I gathered. I didn't have time to dwell on it. I didn't honestly care, although I did feel a pang of pity for the guy. Being new sucked. Two years ago, we'd been the new kids. We'd been living in Alaska until then, when Dad decided he wanted to come back to Forks. He'd grown up here and missed it, so we'd moved. The first few weeks we were here was hell, but now nobody really paid us much attention, and that was the way I liked it.

Classes dragged on and on, and all anyone was talking about was Edward Cullen. By the time lunch arrived, I was sick to death of hearing the kid's name. It was ridiculous how the pathetic idiots at Forks High got so worked up about some newbie. It wasn't like it was Rob Pattinson. Now, that was a man I could get worked up over. Hell, I'd rather get worked over by him.

As soon as I paid for my lunch, I sat down at the table my family and I shared. My parents had adopted my cousins, Alice and Emmett when I was five after their parents had been killed by a drunk driver. Then four years ago, Mom and Dad became the legal guardians of Jasper and Rose Hale. Jasper and Rose's dad, an old friend of my dad's, was in the military and had been sent to Afghanistan, so Mom and Dad had taken them in. Two years ago, their dad had been killed in an explosion. They loved Mom and Dad, but neither of them wanted to be adopted, so my parents respected their wishes.

"New kid is staring at you," Rose said, drawing my attention back to the table.

I turned my head and sure enough, bright green eyes were staring my way. Immediately, a blush took up residence on his cheeks and he turned his gaze away. Cocking my head to the side, I realized he looked a bit like Rob Pattinson. Hmmm.

"Someone's got a crush on you," Emmett said with a grin.

I tossed my apple core at him. "Oh, shut up. He's probably just like the rest of the losers at this school. Take a look at who he's sitting with."

New boy was sitting with some of the not-quite-popular, but not-un-popular crowd. Mike Newton, who acted like he was God's gift to women. He wasn't. He'd tried to get me to go out with him, but I'd shot him down more times than I could remember. Next to him was Tyler Crowley. A guy who had a hard time taking no for an answer. My knee to his balls had convinced him I wasn't interested. Then there was Eric Yorkie. Yorkie was a nice enough guy who just happened to have lousy taste in friends. I bet if you got him away from the assholes, he'd be a pretty decent guy.

As for the girls. _Ugh. _Jessica Stanley and Lauren Mallory. Jessica's hair was living in the 80s and for some reason she thought we were the best of friends. I couldn't figure out for the life of me where she got that idea. I could barely stand her. She was a horrible gossip and loved spreading rumors. Lauren Mallory was the school slut; it was a known fact. Just like it was known that she hated my guts. The feeling was mutual.

The bell rang signaling the end of lunch, so after throwing my garbage away, I headed toward my locker and then Biology. Walking in the door, I made my way toward my lab table and almost stopped in my tracks when I realized that Edward Cullen was sitting at my table. He was cute, I'd give him that.

Halfway through class, Mr. Banner told us we'd be working on a lab for the remainder of the period. That meant I'd have to get close to Edward. He smelled like sin and that blush of his was intoxicating. Something about him had my skin tingling and my pulse racing. I didn't like it one bit.

As soon as class was over, I'd booked it out of there. I told myself that I wouldn't feel bad about being a bitch to him, but I totally did. He'd done nothing wrong, and I'd snapped at him and hurt his feelings. He hadn't said anything, but I'd seen it in his eyes.

I was quiet on the ride home and my siblings knew something was wrong, but thankfully none of them pushed me on it.

* * *

I had just finished up my homework and was setting the table for dinner when Emmett came home. Looking at the clock on the wall, I noticed that he was home later than usual.

"Hmmm. Smells good in here. What's for dinner?" he asked, popping his head into the kitchen.

"Home-made pizza," Mom said before she shooed him out of the kitchen.

"What's on it?" he asked.

"Stuff," was her reply.

Em looked at me. "What kind of stuff?" he asked in a whisper.

I shrugged. With Mom you never knew. She wasn't known for her culinary skills.

"Hey, guess who I ran into?"

"Who?" I asked as I followed him upstairs.

"Edward Cullen. Dude was walking down the road a few miles away. Apparently, he got lost walking home."

"The Cullen house is a long way from school. What the hell was he doing walking home that far?" I scowled as we walked to Em's room.

Em shrugged. "Don't know. Didn't ask. Anyway, I dropped him off. Seems like a nice guy."

"I guess."

"Who seems like a nice guy?" Alice asked from Jasper's bed.

Jasper and Emmett shared a room as did Alice and Rose. I had a room to myself, mainly because my sleep-talking drove my siblings crazy. Plus, our house wasn't very big and my room had originally been a utility room before Dad had converted it. It was small, but it was all mine.

"Edward Cullen," Em said.

"I haven't talked to him yet, but he's in one of my classes. He seems very shy," Alice said.

"Didn't you have class with him?" Jasper asked me.

"Yeah. He's alright, I guess," I said with a shrug.

Looking up from the nail that I was picking, I found four pairs of eyes staring at me.

"What?"

"Did he upset you? Hit on you?" Rose asked.

"No. Something about him just … I don't know. Forget it," I said as I got up and headed to my room.

I could hear my siblings talking as I left, but I didn't care. I hated that Edward Cullen bothered me so much and it annoyed me even more that I didn't know why he bothered me.

Twenty minutes later, we were all seated around our cramped kitchen table inspecting the pizza that Mom had made. There were some weird, unidentifiable lumps hidden under the cheese and sauce.

"What is this?" Emmett asked horrified as he pulled something green out of the pizza.

"Seaweed," Mom said.

Looks of horror crossed all our faces. Excusing myself to use the bathroom, I quickly sent Dad a text begging him to bring home real food.

_Why?_

I rolled my eyes. Really? He knew why.

_She made seaweed pizza,_ I texted back.

_Ew. Real pizza coming up._

_Thnx._

I headed back to the kitchen and informed my siblings in a whisper that Dad was bringing real food. Fifteen minutes later, the door opened and Dad came into the kitchen holding two large pizza boxes.

"Charlie! I told you I was making pizza!" Mom scolded.

"Sorry, honey. I totally forget," he said, giving me a wink when she wasn't looking.

Mom turned back to him, hands on her hips. "I'm not stupid, Charles. I'm fairly certain one of our children had something to do with this."

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Nee. But I do know that you look beautiful," he said before planting a kiss on her that left Mom blushing and us making faces.

After eating a real dinner, I escaped to my room to listen to some music and read a book. Later as I fell asleep, my dreams were filled with a green-eyed boy with bronze colored hair.

* * *

The next morning, I drove myself to school. Normally, we all went in Emmett's jeep, but I needed some time alone. One of the things I loved about my siblings was that, while nosy and annoying at times, they also understood my need for space.

I pulled my old truck into the first parking spot and climbed out before heading into the school. Not really paying attention, I got to the door at the same time as someone else.

"Oh, sorry," a male voice said.

I looked up and found myself face to face with Edward. Boy, he was pretty. I held back a sigh that longed to escape as I looked at him.

"No worries. You're here early," I said, trying to be polite and make up for being so rude to him yesterday.

"Uh, yeah. Carlisle, my father, had to get to the hospital early."

"Ah. Well, I'll see you in Biology if not before."

"Sure," he mumbled as I walked in the building.

Morning classes passed quickly and before I knew it, it was lunchtime. I was making my way to our table when I saw Edward trip out of the corner of my eye. I winced as he went down with a crash. He tripped over one of the footballer's chairs and the guys on the team were all laughing at him. I hated that shit.

I watched as Edward picked himself up, his face flaming red. He grabbed what was left of his lunch and made his way over to Newton's table where they were all in hysterics over what had happened.

It pissed me off that his so-called friends were laughing at his pain and humiliation. That shit didn't fly with me. Making my way over to their table, I stopped next to Edward.

"Hey, Edward. Want to join us for lunch?"

"Yeah," was his reply.

It was amusing to see the stunned look on his friends faces as Edward followed me.

"Guys, this is Edward. Edward this is my family. My brother, Emmett, who you already know. My other brother, Jasper, and my sisters, Alice and Rose."

Edward gave a half-wave as he sat down with his tray. He had a bit of ketchup on his shirt, and I noticed that his hands trembled as he wiped it off.

"You okay?" Jasper asked, seeing the same thing I did.

Edward sighed. "Not really. I hate making a fool out of myself. At least back in Phoenix the school was so big, no one really ever noticed. I prefer it that way."

Alice gave him a sympathetic smile. "It's never easy being the new kid."

Edward let out a snort. "No kidding."

"Forget about them," Rose said. "They're all pathetic losers, any way. Assholish, childish jerks who get their kicks picking on others."

"Unfortunately, that's easier said than done."

Rose flipped her hair behind her shoulder. "Not really. Just remember that you're better than they are."

As lunch ended, I walked with Edward to class. I felt bad about yesterday so I apologized to him.

"I thought I'd done something to make you angry," he said quietly.

I shook my head. "No, I was just in a bitchy mood and took it out on you. You didn't need that your first day of school."

"Apology accepted," he said, giving me a shy smile.

* * *

"Need a ride home, Ed?" Emmett asked Edward as we all walked out of school together at the end of the day.

Edward shook his head. "Carlisle said he'd pick me up. Hopefully, he doesn't forget again."

"Wait," I said, putting a hand on his arm. "You're telling me that the reason you were walking home yesterday was because your dad forgot about you?"

His face became flushed, and he refused to look me in the eye as he mumbled out a yes. I was furious. What kind of parent forgot their own child?

"He's not used to having me around and got busy at the hospital," he explained.

I let out a hmph, but let it go because I could see it was making him uncomfortable. I'd always thought Dr. Cullen was an okay guy, but now I was re-evaluating my feelings. Not more than a few minutes later a Mercedes rolled up. Edward waved goodbye to us and climbed in.

Telling my siblings I'd see them at home, I climbed into my truck and headed toward the diner. I'd seen that they were hiring, and I needed a job. Not that I wanted one, but it wasn't fair to have to ask Mom and Dad for gas money when they already did so much for us. They weren't exactly rolling in the dough. I mean, we got by and all, but there were seven of us. Besides, Alice and Jasper both had jobs. Emmett played baseball and hockey and Rose played soccer so neither of them really had time for one.

I pulled up in front of the diner and made my way inside.

"Bella, dear. How are you?" Mrs. Stanley, Jessica's mother, asked as I walked in.

"I'm okay. I was wondering if I could fill out an application for the waitressing position?"

"Have you ever waitressed before?" she asked me.

I shook my head. "But, I'm more than willing to learn."

Mrs. Stanley nodded, then leaned a hip against the counter. "Why don't we do a trial run this afternoon for a bit? If you do a good job, the job's yours."

"Seriously?" I asked.

She nodded. "I've had that sign up for weeks and no one's worked out yet. I know that you're a smart and reliable girl, and I need someone who's reliable."

Pulling out my phone, I called home and let Mom know that I'd be home later than planned.

"Everything okay, sweetie?" she asked me.

"Yep. I'll be home around six," I told her.

A few minutes later, I was holding a notepad and a pen, and taking my first order.

"Welcome to Forks Diner. I'm Bella, and I'll be your server. Can I get you something to drink?" I asked the two elderly gentlemen as I handed them their menus. Not that they needed them. Mr. Riley and Mr. Woods had been ordering the same thing since dinosaurs roamed the earth.

"Why little Bella Swan, is that you? What in the world are you doing working? A young girl like yourself shouldn't have to work," Mr. Riley commented.

"I need a job," I told him. "I shouldn't have to rely on my parents for money."

"Responsible. That's a good trait," Mr. Woods said to Mr. Riley.

I took their order and brought them their coffee a few moments later. The next two hours flew by, and I felt that I was getting the hang of things. A little after five, Mrs. Stanley called me over.

"You did good, honey. The position is yours if you want it. The hours would be from six to nine, Monday through Thursday. I know it's only twelve hours a week, but those are some of our busiest hours."

"I'll take it," I told her with a smile.

"Excellent. Come in Monday and we'll get you all set. Sound good?"

I nodded and thanked her again, especially when she let me take home the tips that I'd gotten during my trial run. I hadn't made a lot, but it was more than I'd had before. Climbing into my truck, I wondered why she hadn't hired Jessica to work. After all, Jessica was her daughter. Then again, maybe that was why.

"Hey kiddo," Dad said as I walked in.

"Hey, Dad. How was your day?" I asked as I planted a kiss on his cheek.

"Not too bad. Wrote a speeding ticket today," he said with a grin.

I let out a snort. Dad was the chief of police, but in a town as small as ours, there wasn't much crime, so anytime he caught someone breaking the law he got excited.

"Where you've been?" he asked me as we headed into the kitchen.

"Oh, I got a job."

"Bella!" Mom exclaimed. "You didn't need to get a job."

"Yes, I did. I can't have you guys paying for my car, insurance, gas, and spending money. It's not fair to you guys. Besides, Alice and Jasper work, so why can't I?"

"Fair enough," Dad said. "Where will you be working?"

"The Forks Diner as a waitress. I'll only be working twelve hours a week, so it won't really interfere with school or homework."

I saw Mom and Dad relax a bit. They had stressed the importance of education upon all of us. Both my parents were the first ones in their families to go to college, and they wanted to see us further our education.

"When do you start?" Mom asked as she pulled a casserole out of the oven.

"Monday. I'll be working six to nine, Monday through Thursday."

"That's not too bad. You'll still have the weekends to relax," she said before calling everyone in for dinner.

I watched in horror as Mom gave me a huge helping of the mystery casserole. Cautiously, I poked a fork into it and saw my siblings doing the same. Slowly, I brought my fork to my mouth and took a bite. It was strangely good.

"What is this, Nee?" Dad asked as he took another bite.

"Pineapple and chicken casserole," she said with a smile. "I found the recipe online the other day."

I often thought that Dad should ban Mom from looking up recipes on the Internet. We'd been tortured with some horrible recipes over the years and the Internet was to blame for it.

"Jasper, you're on dish duty tonight," Mom informed him.

He let out a groan but knew better than to argue.

"I need to go grade some papers."

I raised an eyebrow. "You've got your kindergartners doing papers?"

"It's not like I made them write essays," she defended. "It's just a few lines to help them practice their penmanship and show their knowledge of the alphabet."

Mom was the perfect kindergartner teacher. She was overly enthusiastic and loved being creative. It went hand and hand with working with five and six year olds.

After handing Jasper my plate, I headed down the hall to my room to do some homework but was assaulted by Alice and Rose.

"Where were you this afternoon?" Alice demanded to know. "Were you off having a torrid affair in secret?"

I looked at her like she'd lost her mind. "No more soap operas for you. Sadly, I wasn't out having a torrid affair. I got a job as a waitress at the diner."

"You do realize that you'll have to put up with Newton and Stanley, right?" Rose asked.

"What do you mean?"

She rolled her eyes at me. "Hello? Jessica's mom owns the diner, so more often than not Jessica is over there with Newton in tow."

I scowled at that news. That thought hadn't even crossed my mind. "Oh, well. I'll deal."

Later that night as I tried to fall asleep, my thoughts drifted off toward a certain bronze-haired boy. I found myself surprised that I wanted to know what had put that sad look in his eyes. I wanted to know everything about him and that scared me. I wasn't one to worry over boys. I had no desire to date the losers at school and had done my best to avoid them. All it took was one look at Edward Cullen, and I found myself almost pining over him.

Disgusted with myself, I turned over and finally fell asleep.

* * *

**a/n: Let me know what you thought. I'm interested to see how you like this Charlie and Renee. I also have a new twitter acct...come follow me (Tardis19Fanfic). I'm on there occasionally.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thanks for reading, reviewing, and favoring. Once again, all mistakes are mine.**

* * *

"How was school?" Carlisle asked as I climbed into the car after saying goodbye to the Swans.

I shrugged. "It was alright."

After that, awkward silence filled the car as we drove toward Port Angeles. We pulled into a Volvo dealership and the next few hours were spent test driving cars and listening to Carlisle haggle prices. Finally, I was driving off the lot in a brand new shiny red Volvo. I was in a bit of shock as I followed Carlisle home. I had a car! No, I didn't just have a car. I had a brand, freaking new car!

I pulled into the garage beside the Mercedes and got out. Carlisle was inside already, and I thanked him once again once I saw him.

He waved off my thanks. "Well this way, you don't have to worry about your old man forgetting you," he joked.

I wasn't sure how to respond to that so I just gave him a small smile.

"Anyway, I wanted to give this to you as well," he said, handing me a credit card.

I took it from his hand and stared at it. I'd never had a credit card before.

"This is not to be used for frivolous things. It's to be used for gas, buying school supplies, clothes, food, and on dates when you have them. I'll be checking the statements every month and if I see any stupid purchases, I'll take not only the card away but your car. Understood?"

"Yes, sir. Thank you," I said, still staring at the card. "Um … what's my limit?"

"There isn't one."

My jaw dropped, and I just stared at Carlisle. _What was he thinking giving me a card with no limit?_

"That's why I'll be checking the statements."

I nodded. "Got it."

I mumbled out a thanks again and ran upstairs. I could hear my mother's voice in my head, warning me that Carlisle was trying to buy my affection, but I chose to ignore it.

I dug out my homework and finished most of it quickly before turning my laptop on and logging into my email. I'd sent out several emails to my mom and friends and had hoped to hear back from someone, but I hadn't.

Next, I logged into my Facebook account and updated my status, bitching about the weather in Forks. Moments later a friend request popped up. Opening it, I saw that I had a request from Emmett Swan. Immediately, I accepted his request and as soon as I did, I got requests from all the Swan kids. _Woot!_ I'd just upped my pathetic friends list by five. Go me.

I killed a bit more time on the computer before heading downstairs for dinner when Carlisle hollered my name. I made my way into the kitchen and found Carlisle pulling a casserole out of the oven.

"Did you cook that?" I asked a bit wearily.

"No, Renee Swan did. She stopped by the house earlier today and left it for us. She and her husband live a few miles down the road. They've got five kids around your age."

"Yeah, they're nice. We hung out at lunch today."

"That's good," he said as he set the casserole down on the table. "Well, dig in."

The casserole looked good, so I put a bit on my plate. The flavor of pineapples blasted my taste buds alongside the flavor of roasted chicken. It was weird and not necessarily in a good way. Carlisle was making a face as well, so I was glad to know I wasn't the only one who thought it was strange.

"Well … this is interesting," he stated.

"Yeah."

"Want to order Chinese?" he asked as he put his fork down.

"Please," I practically begged.

He dug out a handful of menus and tossed them at me.

* * *

I pulled my new car into a spot in the back of the school parking lot. There was no way in hell, I was risking parking her near other cars. As I climbed out, I saw Emmett's jeep pull into the lot near the front. Unsure of what my status was with the Swan kids, I debated whether or not to walk in with them or just hang back. Fortunately, Emmett made the decision for me.

"Morning, Ed!" he hollered.

Normally, it bugged the hell out of me when people called me Ed, but for some reason, I didn't mind it when it came from him. Jogging slightly, I greeted them once I caught up.

"Nice ride," Rosalie said in a cool tone.

"Uh … thanks," I said as I rubbed the back of my neck. I already felt out of place, and I hadn't even considered the fact that driving a brand new car would make me stand out even more.

"Carlisle got for me yesterday."

"She's a beaut. You gotta let me drive her one of these days," Rosalie told me as we all walked inside.

"Okay, I guess."

"Rosie loves cars almost as much as she loves me," Emmett said with a grin as he threw his arm around her shoulders.

"I think it's the other way around. I love you almost as much as I love cars."

Emmett placed a hand over his heart and pouted. "Oh, you wound me!"

Rosalie rolled her eyes at his antics. "C'mon you big baby. I need to finish my math homework."

They headed toward the library while the others headed toward their lockers. Saying a quick goodbye to them, I headed toward my own locker.

I had just opened it, when it was slammed shut, almost smashing my fingers. Looking up, I found myself face to face with the guy who wearing a Letterman jacket.

"Your in my way, rich boy," he snarled as he made to open the locker next to mine.

Ignoring him, I unlocked my locker and opened it again. Probably the not the smartest move I'd ever made.

"You're just asking for a pounding aren't you?"

I opened my mouth to say something when I was interrupted by another guy.

"James! Let's go man. Coach said if we're late to one more class he'll bench us!"

Slamming his locker shut, he turned to me. "We aren't through, pretty boy."

Grabbing my stuff, I slammed my own locker shut and flipped him the bird. _Stupid, arrogant asshole,_ I thought as I made my down the hall toward class. I slid into my chair minutes before the bell rang.

"Everything okay?" a voice asked from behind me.

Turning around, I saw Alice sitting behind me. I gave her a shrug and mouthed _not really_ before the teacher began speaking.

"So,what's wrong?" Alice asked as we stepped into the hallway after class was over.

"Some asshole named James."

Jasper walked up as I spoke, and his face darkened and a scowl formed on his lips. "Dude's a freaking prick!"

"I don't know what I did to piss him off, but apparently he has it out for me," I said as we walked down the hall.

"He has it out for us, too," Jasper informed me.

I was a bit surprised. I couldn't figure out why James would want to mess with the Swans.

"We'll tell you about it at lunch," Alice said before darting off to her class.

By lunch, I'd been tripped twice and practically tackled into a locker. I had a feeling that I was going to be covered in bruises if I wasn't already. As I made my way through the cafeteria, I did my best to avoid the footballers before grabbing some lunch and making my way to the Swans' table.

"You okay, man?" Emmett asked as I took a seat.

"Fan-freaking-tastic," I replied as I jabbed my fork into the limp macaroni.

"James is harassing him," Alice piped up.

Emmett's eyes narrowed and a fierce look graced his face. "Motherfucker better back the fuck off, or I will rearrange his face!"

I was startled by his anger. I couldn't help but wonder what James had done to incur the wrath of Emmett. I mean, Emmett was a big dude and not one I'd want to mess with.

Seeing my confusion, Emmett began to explain.

"When we first moved here, James was one of the first people we met. He seemed like a cool guy and then he changed. Started following Bella around, asking her out all the time, and got angry when she would turn him down."

"It got to the point where Dad threatened to have him arrested for stalking," Bella interjected. "He would show up everywhere I was. It was creepy. He backed off for a while and then one night he grabbed me when we were at a party and roughed me up a bit."

I felt anger rip through me. _How dare that asshole try to hurt Bella!_

"Jasper and I stopped him, and let's just say that we had a little talk with James."

"Dad arrested him for assault, and James spent a year in juvie. As you can see, he's out now and back to being a bigger asshole than he was," Bella spat out.

"Wait. They just let him come back here after what he tried to do to you? That doesn't seem right," I said.

Bella let out sigh. "I agree, but it is what it is. So far, he hasn't messed with me. I don't think he will. Not after what Jasper and Emmett did to him."

"What a prick. Wonder what I did to piss him off?"

"Your friends with us," Alice said. "That's the only reason he needs. I'd understand if you didn't want to hang out with us anymore. You could always go back to hanging out with Mike."

I looked over at Mike's table and found them shooting daggers at me. Well, Eric wasn't, but the others were.

"I have a feeling I wouldn't be welcomed back. Besides, you guys seem nice."

They all snorted and shot each other grins.

* * *

The minute the bell rang ended school, I was out of my seat and rushing toward my locker. I'd managed to survive my first week of school, had made some friends, and had gained a major crush.

"Hey, Ed! What'cha doing this weekend?" Emmett asked as we headed out to the parking lot.

"Nothing. Unpacking if the rest of my stuff shows up."

"Wanna come over and hang out tomorrow?"

"Sure."

"Awesome," he said with a grin before we exchanged numbers.

I headed home, and it felt weird to call it that, but I guess that's what it was until I graduated. I pulled into the garage and headed inside. There were some boxes stacked by the front door, and I saw that they were addressed to me.

Hauling them up to my room, I began to slowly unpack them. A few hours later, I was all unpacked. I lay back on my bed and thought about Phoenix. I missed our small house with it's pool. I missed the sun, the warmth, and my friends. Didn't seem like they missed me though.

Bored, I booted up my laptop and checked my email. Nothing. Scowling, I closed the lid and made my way downstairs. I headed into the kitchen and stood with the door open, trying to figure out what to eat.

"Pick something before the food begins to spoil," Carlisle said, scaring the crap out of me.

I jumped before grabbing a cheese stick and closed the fridge door.

"How was school?"

I shrugged. "Okay. Oh, Emmett Swan invited me over to his house on Saturday. Is it cool if I go?"

"Yeah, that's fine, but I want you back here by five. We're going out to dinner with a friend of mine."

* * *

A little after ten Saturday morning, I got a text from Emmett telling me to come over whenever I wanted. After getting directions to his house, I headed out after leaving a note for Carlisle.

I pulled into the drive of the Swans' house and climbed out of my car. Emmett was waiting at the door and greeted me with a fist pound.

"Welcome to Chateau Swan. These are the folks," he said by way of introduction.

I shook both of their hands and told them it was nice to meet them.

"You boys run along and have fun. I'll bring some snacks in a bit," Mrs. Swan said to us.

I followed Emmett into the living room, taking a moment to look at the pictures that adorned the walls.

"Hey, Edward," Jasper said from his spot on the couch. "Have a seat."

I took a spot on the other side of him and was handed a controller. I figured I'd better let them know that I was crap at video games.

Jasper shrugged. "No worries. Em kicks everyone's ass."

"Language, Jasper!" Mrs. Swan called from the other room, much to Emmett's amusement.

We played for a while, with me losing spectacularly before I finally voiced the question I'd been wondering.

"Uh … where are the girls?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Alice is working, Rosie's in the garage fixing up her car, and Bells has probably got her nose buried in a book," Emmett said.

"Do you have any siblings?" Jasper asked me.

I shook my head, putting my controller down as I lost another game to Emmett. Getting up, Emmett turned off the game console and TV before sprawling out on the floor.

"So, why did you move to Forks?" he asked.

I fiddled with the frayed end of my jeans as I answered. "My mom got remarried and decided it was time for Carlisle to be a parent, so she sent me up here."

Yeah, I didn't sound bitter at all.

"That sucks, dude."

I nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, it kind of does, but it is what it is. Mom ended up moving to Jacksonville, Florida to be with her new husband, so it wasn't like I'd still be in Phoenix anyway."

I paused for a moment before I spoke again. "Can I ask you all something? I don't want to offend or piss you off, but how is it you all came to be adopted."

"Actually, Rose and I aren't adopted," Jasper said. "My dad and Charlie were best friends growing up. After high school, my dad joined the army, met my mother, and had us. Mom took off when we were little and when we were fourteen Dad got sent to Afghanistan, so he had Charlie and Renee appointed as our legal guardians. When Dad was killed two years ago, Charlie and Renee kept us."

"Oh, man. I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"Nah, it's all good," Jasper said.

"Mom, Renee, is actually Alice and mine's aunt," Emmett told me. "Our parents were killed by a drunk driver when were little, so Mom and Dad adopted us."

"Yeah, we're a diverse family so to speak," Jasper interrupted. "We got a lot of crap from folks when we first moved here. Especially, once they realized that I was dating Alice and Emmett was dating Rose. Lots of incest jokes."

"People are stupid," was my response.

"That they are," Jasper agreed.

Just then, Mrs. Swan came into the room with a plate of cookies and several glasses of milk on a tray.

"Here you go boys!"

We all said thanks, and I took a couple of cookies. I bit into one and almost choked. It was horrible. Quickly, I took a swig of milk and almost gagged on that as well.

Emmett and Jasper started to roar with laughter at the look on my face.

"Oh, dude, we should've warned you. Mom is a horrible cook, and I bet you anything that's goat's milk."

_Ugh._ I shuddered as I set the glass and cookies down. No offense to Mrs. Swan or anything, but I didn't think my stomach would be able to handle her cookies.

The three of us sat around talking before I excused myself to use the restroom.

"Head down the hall and it's the first door on the left," Jasper told me.

Getting up, I headed down the hall and passed by a room with a door cracked open. I spotted Bella lying on her bed, book in hand. Not wanting to interrupt her, I continued on my way.

Once done in the bathroom, I started back down the hall before making the decision to stop in and say hi to Bella. I knocked lightly on her door. She looked up from her book, climbed off her bed, and walked toward me.

"Hey," I said with a small wave, feeling a bit like a dork.

She gave me a smile, and I felt a fluttering in my chest. Her long brown hair was in a braid that hung over her shoulder, and her large brown eyes looked sleepy. She was beautiful, and I found myself drawn to her despite the rocky beginning that we'd had.

"Hey, Edward! Emmett had mentioned that you might come over. Is he driving you crazy yet?"

"Not too much. Although, he did kick my butt on some racing game we were playing."

She let out a snort and tossed her braid behind her shoulder. "That's because he has no life and does nothing but play video games."

I noticed she had a book in her hand, so in a sad attempt at being smooth, I asked her what she was reading.

"_The Outsiders._ It's one of my favorites," she told me.

"Mine too. Nothing gold can stay."

She grinned. "Exactly. The movie was pretty well done, but I still prefer the book."

"I agree one hundred percent. Nine out of ten times, the book is always better."

"There you are, Ed. Here, I'd thought you'd gotten lost and instead I find you flirting with my sister," Emmett said.

I felt my face flush and opened my mouth to deny his accusation, when Bella spoke up.

"Oh shut up, Em. We weren't flirting; just talking," she said with a roll of her eyes.

"Whatevs, sis. There's a ball game on. Do you like baseball?"

"Yeah. I played back in Phoenix."

Emmett's face lit up. "That's awesome. Come spring you'll have to try out for the team. The guys we had on the team last year sucked. Hopefully, you can help us not suck as much."

"I'll give it a shot. I'm not the best player, but I enjoy the game."

At around four-thirty, I said goodbye to the Swans and headed home. I pulled into the drive and found Carlisle in his office.

"Hey, Dad? What's the dress code for tonight?" I asked, poking my head around the door.

"Wear something nice," he said before going back to his paperwork.

Letting out a huff, I headed upstairs and dug out a pair of khakis and a button down shirt. Twenty minutes later, Carlisle was hollering for me to get in the car.

We drove into Port Angeles and stopped outside a steakhouse. I didn't understand why I had to dress up to eat at a steakhouse and when I'd asked, I'd been told to be quiet. To say I was irritated would've been an understatement, and Carlisle was acting weird, fiddling with the collar of his shirt.

The minute we stepped into the restaurant, I saw why he was acting funny. A woman around his age approached us and gave him a hug and peck on the lips. I couldn't believe it. He'd brought me on a date with him. Was I supposed to be his wingman?

"Uh … Edward, come here for a second. Edward this is Esme Platt. Esme, this is my son, Edward."

I held out a hand and told her it was nice to meet her.

"It's nice to meet you as well. Carlisle talks about you all the time."

I could barely hold in the snort that wanted to break loose. I highly doubted that he talked about me all the time. He'd have to know me first, and we were virtual strangers.

Dinner was awkward at best. Esme, as she insisted I call her, kept trying to make small talk, and I had to give her points for trying. Halfway through dinner, Carlisle got a call and excused himself from the table.

"So, Edward, how are you adjusting to Forks?"

I shrugged as I fiddled with my spoon. "It's okay, I guess. Far colder and rainier than I'm used to."

"I bet," she said with a small smile.

We were both quiet until Carlisle came back.

"Sorry. There's an emergency at the hospital. We'll have to do this another night, okay?"

We both nodded. Carlisle paid the bill and we headed out toward our cars. I adverted my gaze as he gave Esme a kiss. She seemed like a nice enough lady, and I had a feeling I'd be seeing quite a bit of her.

Carlisle dropped me off at home before speeding off toward the hospital. Heading upstairs, I grabbed my laptop and sat down on my bed. I pulled up my email and saw that I'd gotten a response from one of my friends.

_Hey, Edward!_

_Sorry, I haven't responded. It's been crazy busy so far. Miss you like crazy! Don't freeze up there._

_TTYL_

_Irina_

I typed a quick email back and right as I sent it my phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Baby! How are you?"

"Hi, Mom. I'm doing okay. Missing Phoenix and you."

"Of course you do. Are you settling in okay?"

"I guess. I've made some friends at school so that's good," I told her.

"Well, I'm glad that you've made friends. How is your father?"

"Okay."

"How would you feel about spending Christmas with Eleazar and myself in Jacksonville?"

"That should be fine. I'm not sure when Christmas break is, but I'll let you know."

"Wonderful!" she gushed. "Oh, I've gotta go, sweetie. It was wonderful talking to you. Love you lots!"

"Love you, too," I said as she hung up.

I was surprised that she'd actually called me back. I figured she'd be too busy with Eleazar to even remember she had a son.

I spent the remainder of my evening on my computer, watching DVDs. I really needed to ask Carlisle about getting a TV in my room. A little after eleven, I heard the front door open as Carlisle came home. Listening, I heard Esme's voice as well and prayed that they'd be quiet if they decided to get it on. Grossed out by that thought, I grabbed my iPod and cranked up the tunes as I drifted off to sleep.

* * *

**a/n: As always, I love to hear what you have to say.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: This chapter probably could have gone on for about 10 more pages, but I think 25 pages on my end is plenty. So, on you go.**

* * *

**BPOV**

Boy, he sure was pretty, I thought to myself. Those green eyes were even more beautiful up close, and his smile … he was delicious.

"Bella?"

"Huh?"

"Bella!" Alice shouted in my ear, almost causing me to fall off my bed.

"What?"

"Whats wrong with you?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest as she and Rose sat on my bed.

"Nothing," I responded quickly.

She narrowed her eyes as she studied me. A slow grin spread over her face.

"You've got a crush on Edward Cullen!" she shouted triumphantly.

"No. Nope. You're way off base," I denied.

Rose cocked her head to the side and looked at me.

"I think you're right, Alice. She's has been acting strangely since he started hanging out with us."

I grabbed a pillow and tossed it at them. "You guys don't know what you're talking about."

"Uh huh. Denial. The first sign," Rose said.

Alice giggled and began to sing, "Edward and Bella sitting in a tree …"

"Something you want to tell me, Bells?" Dad asked from the doorway.

"No. These two don't know what they're talking about. I do _not_ have a crush on Edward," I said through clenched teeth.

My sisters began snickering beside me as I lied. I wasn't ready to admit that I had a crush on the pretty boy.

"Well, he seems like a nice kid. Emmett and Jasper like him well enough. So, you know, if you're going to crush on some boy, at least make it a nice one."

"Dad!"

He gave a chuckle and started back down the hall.

"Oh, yeah. Nee wants to know what you guys want for dinner tonight?"

"Chinese!" Jasper yelled from the living room.

"Pizza!" Emmett boomed from the living room.

"Fried chicken," I suggested.

"Ooo. That sounds good!" Alice said as she gave Dad a puppy dog look.

"Fried chicken it is. So, who's going to go get it?"

We all looked at him. "Fine. Back in twenty."

* * *

I spent Sunday being lazy. A thunderstorm was upon us, and it was the perfect day for curling up in bed with a book. I was warm and cozy under my blanket when Mom came into my room.

"Want some lunch?"

"What are you making?" I asked suspiciously.

Mom narrowed her eyes at me. "Tomato soup from a can. Think you can handle it?"

"Sounds good," I replied with a grin.

"I swear, you'd all think I was trying to poison you with the way you all react whenever I cook."

I could't hold back my snicker. Mom swatted me before leaving. Stretching, I got up and made my way over to my old computer. It took the monster forever to boot up, but once it had, I logged onto my Facebook. Nothing exciting was going on there, so I decided to look at Edward's page. I wouldn't admit it to anyone, but I wanted to know more about him.

His page was pretty bare, and I noticed that he only had a handful of friends. Clicking on his photo album link, I began to make my way through the photos on there. I wasn't stalking him. I was just curious, I told myself.

I clicked on a picture that he'd been tagged in and saw him standing on a baseball field wearing a baseball uniform. _Holy hotness! _The boy was gorgeous to begin with, but add in a uniform … cue swoon.

I continued to click through all the pictures and stopped when I came across one of him and a girl. He had his arms around her waist, and they looked blissfully happy. The picture was tagged with Edward's name as well as the name Tanya Denali.

I clicked on her name and it took me to her page which was public. Stupid girl. That's how crazy people found you. Quickly, I scrolled through her page and came to the conclusion that she was one of those popular girls. Funny, I couldn't see Edward dating a girl like that. She had over a thousand friends, and she was tagged in a ton of pictures. Most of them taking at parties where she was wearing skimpy clothing. I shook my head in disgust. Edward apparently didn't have good taste in women.

"Whatcha doin?" Emmett asked from over my shoulder, scaring the crap out of me.

"Nothing. Go away."

"Who's that?" he asked, pointing at a picture of Tanya.

"Um …"

"Is that Ed? Dude! Is that chick his girlfriend?"

"Maybe," I said with a sigh.

Emmett leaned over me, getting into my personal bubble.

"Are you stalking Edward?"

"No," I denied. "I was just curious as to what his life in Phoenix was like."

"You could just ask him, you know?"

Rolling my eyes, I closed my Facebook and turned to face Emmett.

"Is there something you wanted?" I asked him.

"Mom says lunch is ready."

* * *

Mondays sucked to begin with but add in crappy weather and crappy attitudes, and they sucked even more. Every single one of us was in a crabby mood, and the five of us were snarky with one another from the moment we got up.

All I wanted was to be left alone but sadly, that didn't happen. My locker just happened to be next to Jessica's, and she decided to talk to me.

"… and then, she was all up in my face. I mean, really! Who does that? You know?"

I had no freaking clue what she was on about, so I made some nodding motions and continued to ignore her until she said, "I'm going to ask Edward out."

_What?! _My head flew up, and I banged it against my locker. _ Ouch!_ That freaking hurt. Rubbing my head, I said to Jessica, "Huh?"

"I said, I'm going to ask Edward out."

"Good luck with that," I mumbled, not as quietly as I thought I had.

Her eyes narrowed as she looked at me. "What's that supposed to mean? Why wouldn't he want to go out with me?"

"Why would he?" I countered, then felt bad about saying it.

She let out a gasp and pointed a finger at me. "You want him for yourself!"

"He's a person, not a possession, Jessica."

She tossed her big hair back behind her shoulder and gave me a glare. "You're just jealous."

"And you're delusional."

I watched as she stalked off and felt a pang of pity for Edward. Jessica could be relentless, and I had a feeling she was going to harass and annoy him to death. And, I wasn't jealous because there was no way in hell he'd say yes. Right?

I closed my locker and started down the hall toward Edward's locker, so that I could warn him. However, when I got to his locker, he wasn't there. Figuring, he'd already headed to class, I made my way toward my first class of the day.

"Shit! Sorry, Bella!" Edward said as he skidded across the wet floor and collided into me.

"No prob. You okay?" I asked as I steadied him.

"Yeah, yeah. Running late. Overslept, and I'm not used to driving in rain," he rambled as he shoved stuff into his locker.

"Better get used to it. It rains here, like three hundred and fifty days out of the year."

"Great," he muttered.

"Oh, by the way. I should warn you that Jessica is going to ask you out."

A look of horror crossed his face, causing me to crack up.

"No, no, no," he said, shaking his head. "Why me? Why can't she ask someone else?"

"Sorry, Edward," I said with a grin.

His eyes narrowed. "No, you're not. You think this is funny, don't you?"

I shook my head all while laughing. I couldn't help it. His reaction was too funny, and I felt relieved to know that Jessica didn't stand a chance.

I'd just left my math class when I spotted Edward dashing down the hall to the guy's bathroom. Not too far behind him, I saw Jessica.

"Have you seen Edward?" I overheard her ask Lauren.

"I think he went to the bathroom."

I watched as she parked herself across from the bathroom. As much as I couldn't stand her, I had to give her props for persistence. Snickering, I caught up with my brothers in the lunch line.

"I think one of you may need to go save Edward," I told them.

"Why?"

"Jessica's stalking him. He's holed up in the bathroom."

Emmett shook his head. "Poor guy. I'll go rescue him," he said, handing me his lunch tray.

I didn't fail to notice that he didn't give me any money to pay for his food. Huffing out a sigh, I dug into my wallet and paid for both our lunches. Minutes later, I saw Emmett walk into the cafeteria with Edward, and they looked to be arguing.

"How could you let her corner me like that?" I heard Edward hiss to Emmett as they got closer to the table.

"Dude, I'm sorry. It's not my fault that little freshman girl ran into me. I couldn't very well run her over, now could I?"

"Whatever," Edward scowled as he sat down next to me.

I pushed Emmett's tray of food over to him before looking at Edward.

"She got you?"

He let out a sigh, running his hands through his hair.

"Yeah."

We all tried to control our snickers, but it didn't work.

"It's not funny," Edward growled. "It was awkward, embarrassing, and I feel like a total dick telling her no."

"Did you want to go out with her?" Alice asked.

"No, but I still feel bad for rejecting her. It sucks to be turned down," he mumbled.

He had a point. It did suck being turned down, and the fact that he felt a bad about turning Jessica down made me like him even more. He was too freaking sweet. Just one more thing I liked about him.

After school was over, I headed to the Forks Diner to fill out paperwork and maybe even start working. I was kind of excited about having a job. I knew that would change quickly, but at the same time, it was a sense of freedom. I'd have my own money and wouldn't have to rely on Mom and Dad.

"Hi, Bella! Come on back, and we'll start the paperwork," Mrs. Stanley said after I walked in.

I followed her to the back, and twenty minutes later all my paperwork was filled out. Mrs. Stanley handed me a notepad and let me get to work even though I wouldn't normally start working until six. By nine, I was exhausted and my feet hurt. I hadn't really thought about how hard waitressing could be, and I now had a new found appreciation for servers. I made about nine dollars in tips. It wasn't a lot, but it was something and it was mine.

I got home a little after nine and was greeted by my parents.

"Hi, honey. How was your first day at work?" Mom asked.

I flopped down on the couch, groaning as I kicked off my shoes. "It was good, but oh my God, my feet hurt."

Mom let out a laugh. "Waitressing is hard work. I waitressed in college when your father and I lived in Jacksonville. I made some great money."

Dad huffed. "What your mother is failing to tell you is that she wore these little shirts and tight shorts."

I shuddered at the image as Mom grinned and told Dad that she had to work with what she had.

"But don't you even think of doing that," Dad said, pointing a finger at me.

I barked out a laugh. "No worries, Dad. First of all, I'd freeze if I wore anything skimpy and secondly, I don't own any of that kind of clothing anyway."

Saying goodnight to my folks, I headed down the hall to my room to catch up on my homework.

* * *

By Wednesday, Jessica had asked Edward out four more times, and I was starting to get pissed off. Not that I had any right to be. It wasn't like he was mine, but I couldn't help the way I felt and it was putting me in a foul mood. Not to mention that some asshole at the diner had tried to grab my ass.

"Bella!" Emmett hollered as he barreled into my room later that night.

"What?" I snapped.

He held his hands up in surrender. "Whoa, baby sis. What's got your panties in a twist?"

I let out a sigh. "Sorry, Em. I'm just in a bad mood."

"Would that have anything to do with Miss Stanley?"

I shrugged. I wasn't ready to admit to my older brother that I was sporting a major crush on Edward. Apparently, I didn't have to.

"You know that Edward won't say yes to Jessica. Why don't you ask him out? It's obvious that you like him."

I opened my mouth to deny it but nothing came out, so I closed it.

"You do like him, right?"

I nodded.

"So, what's the problem?" he asked, sitting next to me.

"I …," I took a moment to gather my thoughts. "It's stupid, but I want him to ask me out. I know that seems old fashioned and all, but …"

"But, it's what they do in all those classic romance books you read," Emmett said.

"Yeah. Besides, we've known each other that long. He probably doesn't even like me like that."

Em let out a snicker as he rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right. That boy has a major crush on you. I can nudge him along if you want."

I shook my head. The last thing I wanted was for Edward to feel coerced into asking me out and that's what I told Emmett. He headed back out my door then stopped and turned to face me.

"You know, we're planning on going to the movies this weekend in Port Angeles. Why not ask him to join us," he suggested.

Thursday morning, I caught up with Edward at his locker, and he looked tired and stressed.

"Are you okay?" I asked him, concerned.

"I'm fine," he told me, not even looking at me.

Something was definitely wrong. Reaching out, I touched his arm, turning him to face me.

"Talk to me, Edward."

His gaze met mine before quickly looking away. "Nothing. It's …," he paused, "personal."

I decided not to press it and changed the subject. "So, I … uh, was wondering if you were doing anything this weekend?"

"Not that I know of," he said as we began walking down the hall.

"Do you want to go to the movies this weekend?" I blurted out more from nerves than anything.

His eyes widened and a blush graced his cheeks. "Yes!" he said, almost too quickly causing me to giggle.

_Oh, God. _I was becoming one of those giggling girls. Then, I realized that he might think I was asking him on a date when I wasn't.

"So, um … is everyone going or is it just us?" he asked me quietly.

"Everyone," I said, and I saw his face fall a bit, but he quickly recovered.

"Sounds good."

"Great. I'll give you more details once I have them," I told him as he stopped in front of his classroom.

My day passed in a blur until gym class. We had just started our volleyball unit and halfway through class, I was beaned in the head by the ball. I looked across the net and saw Jessica smirking. I narrowed my eyes.

I wasn't one to fight a girl over a boy, but I was damned if I was going to stand there and let her come after me. Before I could retaliate, Coach Clapp yelled at Jessica and warned her not to purposely hit anyone again. Now, it was my turn to smirk.

As I came out of the bathroom in the locker room, I found Jessica whispering about me to Lauren and some of their pathetic cronies.

"I cannot believe her! I told her that I was going to ask Edward out, and now she's hanging all over him. I can guarantee that she's the one that's preventing him from saying yes to me," she told them.

_I wasn't hanging all over him! _I couldn't help that he preferred me to her.

Spotting me, Jessica and her friends glared at me before tossing their hair over their shoulders and stalking out. It was almost comical.

Gathering up my stuff, I left the locker room and went to my last class of the day. I hated my economics class and always seemed to drag on and on. Today it was worse because Lauren was in there with Jane and Victoria. The three of them weren't just idiots but horrible gossips, and they spent the whole class period whispering about Jessica and Edward.

"Can you believe that Jess asked Edward out?" Lauren whispered to Jane.

"I know right? I mean there's no way he'd ever go out with her. She's too 1980s," Jane whispered back while Victoria nodded in agreement.

I felt kind of bad for Jessica. She thought that Lauren was her best friend, yet there Lauren was, gossiping about her behind her back. I wonder if Jessica knew.

"No kidding," Lauren said. "I'd have a way better chance with him."

"It might be social suicide though. James can't stand him," Victoria told her while examining her nails.

"James can't stand anyone but Alec. I bet if you got Edward away from the Swans, you could make him popular in no time," Jane told Lauren.

I rolled my eyes. Poor Edward. The boy was going to have to deal with two women going after him.

Later that evening, Emmett called Edward to see if he wanted to spend the weekend at our place, and I prayed that he'd say yes. I wanted to spend some more time with him. Just to get to know him and you know, maybe ogle him a bit. After Edward got the okay from Dr. Cullen, he followed us home on Friday.

"You'll be bunking in our room," Jasper told Edward as they lead him into the house.

I headed toward my room to drop off my stuff, then headed upstairs to Em and Jas's room. Propping myself in the doorway, I took a moment to just look at Edward while he was engaged in conversation with my brothers. He was so beautiful with his crazy, unmanageable bronze hair, and deep green eyes.

"What's up, baby sis?" Em asked, interrupting my ogling.

I shrugged. "Just wanted to know what our plans were for the weekend?"

"I was thinking movie and dinner tonight, and then we'll just wing it the rest of the weekend. Sound good?"

"Sure," I said nodding. "What movie are we going to see?"

He shrugged then hollered for Rose and Alice. Soon, we were all jammed into the boys' room, finalizing our plans.

"No, Alice! I refuse to go see some shitty chick flick," Emmett said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Language, Emmett! Don't make me wash your mouth out with soap!" Mom hollered from down the hall.

We all snickered as he got busted.

"Sorry, Mom!"

"What about that new vampire movie that just came out? It's got romance for Ali and violence for you guys. Plus, eye-candy all around," Rose suggested.

A few hours later, we left for the movies. Alice and Jasper took the small Honda that they shared while the rest of us rode in Emmett's Jeep. We got to the movies and before I knew it, I was sitting next to Edward in a dark theater.

The minute the lights went down, I could hear the kissing commence by the couples on either side of us. It was a bit awkward until I reached over and smacked Emmett, effectively separating his lips from Rose's.

"Ow! What was that for?" he hissed.

"If you're going to make out, please do so elsewhere. Or at least move down the row, so we don't have to hear it," I hissed back.

He let out a huff as I reached across Edward and smacked Jasper as well. I saw Edward fighting a smile and heard a small chuckle come from him.

"Sorry," I whispered. "They tend to get carried away."

"No worries," he whispered back.

The movie began, and it was horrible. It was about a rather emo girl who fell for an unattainable guy who just happened to be a vampire. The vampire dumps her, she becomes a pathetic mess; throw in some werewolves, a fight, and some make up making out and you have the recipe for a horrible movie.

"Why did we agree to see this again?" I asked as we left the theater and headed toward the lobby.

"I don't know. Blame Rose," Jasper laughed, as he dodged a slap that Rose sent his way.

Edward had excused himself to use the restroom and was on his way back to us, when we all heard Jessica holler out his name. He cringed before plastering on a smile as she practically assaulted him.

"Edward! Hi! What are you doing here?"

"Uh … I just got done watching a movie," he said, stating the obvious.

Jessica put on a pout as she reached out to touch his arm. "You should've asked me to come with you that way you wouldn't have to watch a movie alone."

A bunch of people came out of a different theater, preventing me from eavesdropping anymore. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but he looked pissed. He said something to her before pushing through the crowd to us.

"Everything okay?" Jasper asked.

"Yeah, everything's fine," he said, shoving his hands in his pockets, a scowl on his beautiful face.

"Edward?" I asked, stopping him before we climbed into the Jeep.

"Yeah?"

"You know you can talk to anyone of us about anything, right?"

He nodded before giving me a small smile. "Thanks."

Later that night as I climbed into bed, I couldn't help but wonder what was bothering Edward. Jessica must have said something to him but what?

I tossed and turned for about an hour before finally getting up and heading toward the kitchen. I stopped when I saw a figure sitting on the couch in the living room. Slowly, I made my way into the room and was a bit startled to see it was Edward.

"Hey," I said softly.

He looked up at me with red-rimmed eyes. "Hey."

I sat down next to him and took his hand in mine, giving it a gentle squeeze. We sat like that for a while before he finally spoke.

"I found out on Thursday that a friend of mine from back in Phoenix is in the hospital fighting for her life."

"Oh, Edward. I'm sorry."

"She was my girlfriend at one point but about eight months ago, she got heavy into partying. Drinking, drugs, having sex with strangers. Needless to say, I broke things off," he told me quietly.

My mind flashed back to the picture of Edward and Tanya that I'd seen. I had a feeling she was the girl that he was talking about.

"Her sister, Irina, emailed me and let me know that Tanya, my ex, was in the hospital. She'd overdosed on cocaine and is fighting for her life."

I didn't know what to say, so I kept my mouth shut.

"I thought hanging out with you all this weekend would be the perfect way to forget about things for a while. Sure the movie totally sucked, but it kept my mind focused off of Tanya. Then, Jess showed up and … ugh!"

"What did she say to you?" I couldn't help but ask.

"She told me that I should have invited her along, so I wouldn't have to watch a movie by myself. I told her that I didn't watch it by myself, and she demanded to know who I was with! I told her it wasn't any of her business, and she got mad."

"She's a fruitcake," I told him. "But, she isn't alone. I heard Lauren telling some girls that she was going to ask you out."

He ran a hand through his hair, causing the strands to stick up all over the place. "What the hell is wrong with all these girls? Why do they want to go out with me? I'm nothing special."

"Hey! Don't say that. Of course, you're something special. It's just that to Jessica and Lauren, you're a new, shiny toy to play with."

A look of pure horror crossed his face. "I don't want them playing with me!"

I cracked up until I had the horrible image of Jessica playing with Edward's body. That couldn't be allowed to happen. If anyone was going to play with him, it would be me. And that thought, caused me to blush. Not something I usually did.

"I should've lied to Jess and Lauren when they asked me if I had a girlfriend. That could've prevented this whole mess."

I let out a snort. "That would've just made you more attractive to them. They would've seen it as a challenge."

We talked for a while more before he let out a huge yawn. We said goodnight and went our separate ways. Once in bed, I finally fell asleep dreaming about Edward.

* * *

**a/n: As always, I love to hear to what you thought of the chapter!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Ugh. So much drama at work, and I'm too old for that crap. Anyway, huge thanks for reading and reviewing! As always, all mistakes (especially of the comma variety) are all mine.**

* * *

"Edward?"

I let out a sigh and contemplated banging my head against my locker. Jess apparently didn't know the meaning of the word no. She'd asked me out three times already, and I was tired of it.

"No, Jess. Just … no. Please respect the fact that I don't want to go out with you. I have nothing against you. You're a nice girl, but I don't want to date you," I told her, feeling like an asshole.

I heard her let out a huff before hearing footsteps take off down the hall. I turned around, resting my back against my locker and let out a sigh. The only girl I wanted to ask me out was Bella, but I was afraid that she'd categorized me into the friends only category.

Realizing that the bell was about to ring, I headed toward my last class of the day. Once school was over, I said goodbye to the Swans and headed home. I had a ton of homework to do, plus I needed to study for a math test.

I was sitting on the couch, scowling at my book when Carlisle came home.

"Hey, Edward. I'm going out with Esme tonight. Will you be okay on your own?"

I barely looked up from my book. "Sure. Have fun," I told him.

We were slowly learning to live with another. Carlisle tended to work a lot, but now that I was living with him, he was trying to cut his hours back a bit. I appreciated the gesture, although I wasn't sure it was all to do with me. I was pretty sure that working less, meant he'd have more time to spend with Esme as well.

She'd stopped by Monday night for dinner, and I'd come to find that I really liked her. She'd told me a little more about herself. She was forty-five, two years older than Carlisle, and divorced. Apparently, her first husband had been a nasty piece of work who thought it was acceptable to abuse women.

When I'd asked her if she had any children, her eyes had grown sad. She'd told me that she'd had a little boy named Colin, who had died a few weeks after he was born. I'd felt horrible that I'd brought it up, but she'd assured me it was okay.

The door bell rang, interrupting my thoughts, and I got up to let Esme in. She gave me a hug and asked me how school was.

"It was okay," I said, sighing as I thought about Jess and her persistence.

Esme gave me a calculating look. "You can talk to me or your dad about anything. You know that, right?"

I nodded. Esme made me want to tell her what was going on and before I knew it, I was.

"There's this girl who's asked me out four times. She's a nice girl, but she's not the girl for me. I feel like such an as—jerk every time I turn her down."

Esme gave my shoulder a squeeze. "Some girls can be a bit persistent."

"No kidding," I said with a sigh.

"So, tell me. Is there a girl you are interested in?"

I could feel myself blushing as I avoided her gaze. She poked my arm and asked, "Well?"

"Maybe."

She just looked at me until I cracked. "Bella Swan," I mumbled out.

"She's a great girl," Carlisle said from behind me, startling me.

"Yeah, she is," I agreed.

"Esme, we need to leave. Our reservations are for seven. I'll be back later," he told me.

I pulled him aside right before he walked out the door and reminded him that I was old enough to stay home by myself. He gave me a cocky grin before telling me he'd see me tomorrow.

* * *

Thursday morning, I checked my email before school and was pleased to see that my friend, Irina, had emailed me. I opened the email and felt my stomach drop at what I read.

_T's in the hospital. She went to some big party and overdosed on cocaine. I had no idea she was even doing that stuff. She'd told me she was done partying. __She's in a coma. They don't know if she's gonna wake-up. I know that the two of you had a rough break-up, but I thought you'd want to know._

I sat there numb. Tanya was my ex-girlfriend and even though she and I didn't talk anymore, I still kept in touch with her sister, Irina.

Fumbling for my phone, I pulled up Irina's number and called her.

"Edward," she answered, her voice thick with tears.

"How is she?" I asked.

"Hanging in there. If she pulls through, Mom and Dad are putting her in rehab."

"That's the best thing they can do," I told her.

We talked for a bit longer before saying goodbye, and I headed to school with a heavy heart. While I wasn't in love with Tanya, I still cared about her. I'd known her since second grade.

I walked into school, barely registering the things going on around me. I had just closed my locker when Bella came up to me. I couldn't even muster up a smile. She looked so concerned and asked me if I was okay. I wasn't ready to talk about what was going on, so I told her it was personal.

We started walking down the hall when Bella shocked the hell out of me. She asked me if I wanted to go to the movies with her. I swear my heart about jumped out of my chest. I felt blush on my cheeks as I answered yes, a bit too quickly.

I couldn't believe it. Bella Swan asked me out. I was practically giddy. Then, another thought occurred to me. Maybe it was a group outing.

"So, um … is everyone going or is it just us?"

"Everyone," she said, and I did my best not to let my disappointment show.

"Sounds good."

"Great. I'll give you more details once I have them," she said as we stopped in front of my classroom.

Later in the day, Emmett stopped me in the hall and asked if I wanted to spend the weekend at their house. It was just the distraction I needed. I sent Carlisle text asking if it was okay. I got the okay a few seconds later.

"Suh-weet!" was Emmett's response.

After school, I followed the Swans back to their house. The second I was inside, Emmett and Jasper led me to their room. I hadn't really hadn't gotten a good look around their house the last time I was there. I felt a bit bad when I stepped into their room. It was half the size of my room at Carlisle's, and it housed two teenage guys.

There was a bed on each side of the room along with two dressers, and tons of shelves aligned the walls. Posters of scantily clad women and sports figures hung crookedly and clothes litered the floor.

"Uh, we've got an air mattress for you to sleep on if that's cool. If not, you can crash on the couch," Emmett told me as I set my bag down.

"The air mattress is fine," I assured him.

A few hours later, I was riding in Emmett's Jeep with my thigh pressed intimately against Bella's. Goosebumps erupted across my skin at being such close proximity with her. Thankfully, everyone was unaware of how much she affected me.

Sitting next to Bella in a dark theater was an experience. We hadn't done anything, but there was almost an electrical current in the air. It didn't help that the couples around us were salivating all over one another.

The movie was truly horrible. The action sequences were okay, but the rest of the movie was an eyesore.

Once the movie let out, I excused myself to use the bathroom. I had just left the bathroom when I heard my name being called. I barely held back a groan when I recognized the voice as Jess's. The girl just didn't know when to quit.

"Edward! Hi! What are you doing here?"

"Uh … I just got done watching a movie," I told her, thinking why else would I be at the theater.

A pout crossed her lips, and she reached out to touch my arm. "You should've asked me to come with you, that way you wouldn't have to watch a movie alone."

"I didn't come by myself," I told her as I pulled my arm away. "I'm here with Bella and —"

"Oh, so she's good enough to date, but I'm not?" she interrupted, a glare in her eye.

"If you had let me finish, I would've told you that I was hear with Bella and her siblings," I practically snarled. "Not that it's any of your business who I go to the movies with. I know I'm coming across as an asshole and I'm sorry for that, but I've told you that I'm not interested in you."

If looks could kill not only would I be dead but Bella as well. Scowling, I headed back toward the group, telling them things were fine when they asked.

Later that night, I woke up from a nightmare involving Tanya. In my dream, Irina had called to tell me that Tanya had died and that it was my fault. As quietly as possible, I slipped out of Emmett and Jasper's room and headed out to the living room. I sat on the couch trying to calm my emotions and thoughts.

I was a bit startled when a figure came into the room, and let out a breath when I realized it was Bella. Almost immediately, I felt calmed and before I knew it, I was spilling my soul to her. I told her about Tanya and then told her about Jess at the theater.

I really appreciated Bella's listening to me, and it made her that much more attractive to me. We said our good nights and I watched as she walked down the hall, enjoying the way her ass looked in her tiny sleep shorts. _Oh, yeah._ I was falling hard.

The next day was a flurry of activities. We'd been woken up by Mrs. Swan who had insisted on feeding us oatmeal filled with stuff. I say stuff because I honestly had no idea what was in it, and Bella had told me it was better not to ask.

After breakfast, Jasper asked us if we were up for a game of baseball. Apparently, the whole family played. Once the dishes were done, the Swans gathered up a bunch of equipment and started out the door. I followed them down this path behind their house, through some woods, until we came to a huge clearing.

It was obvious they'd played there before. Bases were already set up and there were some logs that were used as seats. Chief Swan began pulling bats out of one of the bags while the others pulled out gloves and balls.

"What position did you play in Phoenix?" Emmett asked me.

"Pitcher," I told him.

"Fantastic! You're on my team. Jasper can't pitch worth sh—crap," he said with a grin as Mrs. Swan gave him a look.

Soon the teams were divided up, and I found myself on the same team as Emmett, Mrs. Swan, and Alice. We didn't have enough players for a real game, but it had to be the most interesting game of baseball I'd ever played. I pitched, Mrs. Swan played first base, Alice played third, and Emmett played the entire outfield. And, I hated to say it, but Alice and Mrs. Swan were awful. Neither of them could hit or catch, although I was wise enough to keep my mouth shut. Emmett, however, was not.

"Geez, Mom! Do you need glasses? How in the world did you miss that?! Dad practically hit it right at you!"

Mrs. Swan turned and gave Emmett, what I had dubbed, the Mom stare. "Don't take that tone of voice with me! I'm still your mother, and I still have the right to ground you and take away your Jeep!"

That shut him up. But the best part of the game was when Bella was up to bat. She was an awful player as well. She was on her second strike when I tossed her a easy pitch. She hit the ball, a look of pure surprise on her face. Her dad, Jasper, and Rose were yelling at her to run, and when she did, she ran the wrong way. Emmett and I were doubled over with laughter. A smack to my stomach quickly shut me up.

"Not all of us can be baseball superstars," Bella growled.

"I'm sorry," I said with a grin.

"Hmph."

"Alright, gang. Let's pack it in. I need to hit up the grocery store to get some steaks. You boys will be helping me grill out," Chief Swan said after his team had lost.

As we walked back to their house, I was filled with a bit of jealousy. The Swans were such an amazing family. It was obvious how much they all loved each other, and I envied their closeness. I wasn't that close to my parents at all.

My folks had divorced when I was four, and Mom had taken me to Phoenix. She'd gotten a lot of alimony and child support from Carlisle, but that hadn't stopped her from bad mouthing him for as long as I could remember. She had always been warning me about him; telling me that he wouldn't hesitate to buy my affection.

It had always bothered me. Whenever I visited Carlisle and he'd buy me stuff, I'd always wonder if it was because he loved me or because he felt guilty. But, not once, did he ever talk bad about Mom. And for that, I respected him. I knew that the divorce had been messy, and Mom had always placed the blame on Carlisle.

"You okay?" Bella asked, startling me.

"Yeah," I said giving her a smile. "Just thinking about how close your family is. I'm a bit jealous to tell you the truth."

"Mom and Dad are pretty great. We're extremely lucky to have such an intact family."

"Hurry up, you two!" Jasper hollered from ahead of us.

Twenty minutes later, I was at the local IGA with the Swan men. It was a train wreck waiting to happen, and Chief Swan knew it. I almost expected him to put leashes on Emmett and Jasper.

"Boys, divide and conquer. And Emmett? Don't even think about looking at the liquor aisle," he warned.

It was the longest trip I'd ever taken to a grocery store, but eventually we got everything we needed.

Once back at the Swan house, us guys began to prep and prepare the food for dinner while the women laid back and relaxed.

"How are you adjusting to Forks, son?" Chief Swan asked me as we stood around the grill.

"I'm surviving. I'm not used to all the rain or the chilly weather, but I'm adjusting."

He nodded. "Change can be rough. Things okay on the home front?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Carlisle and I are learning to live with one another."

He nodded again, taking a sip of his beer. "Well, you're welcome here anytime. All my kids like you and that's saying a lot. They don't tend to like just anyone."

"They're awesome," I told him.

* * *

The weekend went by too quickly and it was Monday before I knew it. I'd called Irina on Sunday night and had been informed that nothing had changed. I did my best not to dwell on the negative thoughts that entered my head.

I was at my locker gathering my books when James came down the hallway. He'd left me alone since our last encounter, and I'd hoped it would stay that way.

"Hey, man. Sorry about getting your face the other day."

I was flabbergasted and suspicious. _Why would he suddenly change his attitude?_

"Yeah, whatever," I told him, closing my locker.

"Look, dude. A bunch of us are getting together later tonight at the Rev in Port Angeles. Why don't you come with?"

"No thanks," I replied as I took off down the hallway.

I entered my Spanish class and found Lauren propped up against my desk. I barely held back a sigh. Bella had warned me that Lauren had decided she wanted me. I just didn't understand why. It wasn't like I had movie star looks. I was just an average guy.

"Hi, Edward," Lauren said as I sat down.

"Hey."

"I was wondering if you wanted to go out with me this weekend?"

"No thanks," I said, shaking my head.

She put her hands on her hips and gave me a pout. "I promise to make it worth your while."

I shuddered at her promise. "Again, no thank you."

She leaned forward showing off her cleavage. "You can't honestly tell me that you aren't interested."

I looked her straight and eye and said, "I'm not interested. Please, don't ask me again."

She stood up and walked away from my desk with a huff as I rolled my eyes. The rest of class was spent with Lauren and some pale blonde girl giving me dirty looks.

By the time lunch rolled around, Lauren had asked me out twice more, and I'd been accosted by her friend, Jane. Jane had tried to play up Lauren's strengths and attributes, telling me that it would up my rep if I dated Lauren. To which I'd responded, that I didn't care about upping my rep.

"Obviously. I mean, hello. You hang out with the Swans. That's a rep killer right there," she told me before stalking off.

"What was that about?" Rose asked from behind me as I got into the lunch line.

"Apparently, Lauren wants me to go out with her."

A look of pure horror crossed Rose's face. "Please tell me you said no."

"Duh," I said with an eye roll. "I'm not interested in her or Jessica."

"What about Bella?" she asked, reaching over me to grab an apple.

"What about her?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

Rose gave me a calculating look. "I'm not blind, Edward. It's obvious that you like my sister. So my question to you, is what are you going to do about it?"

"Uh … ask her out?"

Rose smiled. "Good answer. But, Edward? If you hurt her, I'll break you into tiny little pieces and scatter them throughout the woods. Understand?"

I gulped. Rose could be a bit scary. "Uh huh."

"Excellent. So, when are you going to ask her out?"

"Uh …"

"Who's Eddie asking out?" Emmett asked from behind us as we made our way toward our table.

"Bella."

Emmett nodded. "Fuck with her, I'll fuck with you."

"Yup, got it. Rose beat you to it."

"That's my Rosie. Hot as fuck when she's all protective," he said, leaning down to place a kiss on Rose's lips.

I looked away, slightly jealous at their relationship. It was obvious that they loved each other deeply. I wanted that kind of love. I rolled my eyes at myself. I sounded like a girl.

"What's this I hear about you going out with Lauren this weekend?" Alice asked the second I sat down at the table.

"What!? I'm not going out with her. I told her I wasn't interested, same as I told Jessica," I seethed.

"It's Lauren. She's not too bright. You may have to tell her a few times," Bella said with a sneer.

I was finishing up my last bite of cafeteria pizza when I overheard Lauren telling Jess that I was going out with her. Standing up, I excused myself from our table and walked over to where Jess and Lauren were arguing.

"Let me make things clear. I'm not going to date either of you. Ever. Stop asking me out. You're not only wasting my time, but you're making fools of yourselves," I told them, my fists clenched at my sides.

I hadn't realized that I was being loud until I noticed the cafeteria had gone quiet. _Crap._ I could feel my cheeks heating up and knew that if I looked around, everyone would be staring at me.

"Thanks for being such an asshole," Lauren said, shooting me a dirty look.

"Lauren's right. You are an asshole. I don't know what I saw in you," Jessica told me, turning her back on me.

I clenched my teeth from commenting on what bitches they had been and headed back to my table. However, none of the girls at my table had a problem with calling them out on their behavior.

"Maybe if you hadn't been so pathetic and needy, he wouldn't have had to be so harsh," Rose commented to Jessica.

"Seriously. How many times does guy have to tell you no before you get the hint?" Alice asked.

"If anyone's an asshole here, it would be Lauren. She's supposed to be your best friend, Jessica. Yet, she's spent all day asking Edward out and talking about how he would rather go out with her than you," Bella told her.

That was all it took for a cat fight to break out. A cat fight between Jessica and Lauren that is. It was mildly entertaining to watch until they managed to come to agreement and decide that it was all Bella's fault that I wouldn't go out with them. I narrowed my eyes, just waiting for them to go after my girl. Not that she was my girl, but she would be. I knew right then and there, I would ask her out before the day was over. I hoped that she'd say yes.

Halfway through Biology, Bella got called to the principal's office along with Jessica and Lauren. When Bella didn't return to class, I started to get worried. I shot Alice a look across the room, and she mouthed not too worry. I couldn't help but worry. I didn't want Bella to get in trouble because of me.

Class finally ended, and I booked it out the room, scanning the hallway for Bella. I didn't see her before my last two classes ,and when school was done, I hurried toward her locker.

I let out a sigh of relief when I saw her there. A quick glance told me that she didn't appear harmed in anyway, just pissed off.

"Are you okay?" I asked, leaning against the locker next to hers.

"I'm fine. Mad as hell, but fine," she said, slamming her locker door shut.

"What happened?" I asked as we walked out of the building.

"Jessica and Lauren got called into the office for the scene in the caf. Of course, they told the principal that it was all my fault, and that I'd started it. Hence, my being called in there. Anyway, to make a long story short, the three of us have detention tomorrow after school."

I stopped in my tracks. "That's bull! You didn't do anything!"

"Well, yeah, I kind of did. If I'd kept my mouth shut, they wouldn't have gotten into it."

"Then, it's my fault as well, and I should be in detention too," I told her.

Bella shook her head. "What's done is done. I'm over it for the most part. Although, if Jess or Lauren come after me, I may not be able to hold Rose back."

I walked Bella to her car, wishing her fun at work before making my way to my car.

"Edward!" she hollered before I'd gotten very far.

"Yeah?" I asked, jogging back toward her.

"My car won't start. Could you give me a ride to the diner? I'll have one of my parents pick me up."

"Of course," I said with a smile. Giving her a ride would give me the perfect opportunity to ask her out.

As we walked to my car, butterflies erupted in my stomach. My palms became sweaty and wiped them off on my pants as I unlocked the car and held her door open for her.

"Thank you."

"You're quite welcome."

We made small talk as I drove and as I pulled into the parking lot of the diner, I gathered my nerve. I pulled into a spot and put the car in park.

"Bella?"

"Yeah?" she said, turning to look at me.

For a moment, I got lost in her beautiful eyes before I remembered what I was doing.

"Would you—" I took a deep breath, "Would you go out with me on Friday?"

"Like a date?" she asked in a soft voice.

I blushed as I answered. "Yeah, like a date."

A big smile crossed over her face and before I knew it, my arms were full of Bella.

"Of course! I'd love to go on a date with you!"

I grinned, thrilled with her answer and her reaction.

"Great! Fantastic! I'll pick you up at seven, if that's okay?"

She nodded after letting go of me. "I can't wait."

"Me either," I said.

I barely remembered the drive home. I couldn't believe that I had done it, and she'd said yes. You'd have thought I'd proposed to her with the way I was acting. I tried to wipe the huge smile off my face as I walked inside the house, but it was useless.

"What's got you looking so happy?" Carlisle asked, scaring the crap out of me.

"Oh … uh, I asked Bella out for Friday night."

Carlisle grinned. "You couldn't have found a nicer girl. Better be on your best behavior, son. Her dad is the chief of police."

"I know," I said with a slight gulp. I hadn't really given that much thought.

Later as we sat down for dinner, Carlisle informed me that he was going to be gone for the weekend.

"I have a medical conference in Portland that I need to attend. One of my co-workers was supposed to go, but he got hit with a nasty case of the flu. I'll be leaving Thursday night, and I'll be back late Sunday."

"Okay."

"I trust you, Edward. That being said, no parties, no booze, no girls."

"Understood. Um … would it be okay if I had the Swans over for an afternoon to watch movies or something?"

"That's fine. I'd prefer that no one spends the night."

I nodded. I thought he was being plenty fair.

"Good. So, tell me. Where are you taking Bella?"

"No idea. Where's a good place to go for dinner?"

Carlisle thought about it for a moment. "Not much around here, but there's plenty of places in Port Angeles. You could take her to Cafe Garden. It's a nice little place. I took Esme there on our first date."

After dinner, I looked up the restaurant online and decided that it looked like a good place for a date. I wanted to do more than just take her to dinner, but I was sure what was around the area. There were a few art galleries, a marine sanctuary, and a marine life center. I wasn't sure if Bella had done all the Port Angeles tourist stuff, so I decided I would ask one of her siblings. Or all of them.

I sent them all messages on Facebook and got replies almost immediately.

_Someplace with lots of people and no privacy_, was Emmett's suggestion. I snickered at his big brother response.

Alice suggested shopping, Jasper suggested the historical society museum, but it was Rose's suggestion that I liked the best.

_Take her to the Olympic Coast Discovery Center. She's only been once, but she loves marine life. Here's a link to their website._

I quickly sent a thank you to Rose as well as the others for their ideas.

When bedtime rolled around, I found that I couldn't sleep. I was too excited about the fact that I had a date with Bella Swan.

* * *

**a/n: Yay! They're going on a date! Woot!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I just got back from seeing The Rover, and I'm not sure how I felt about it. I will say that Rob's acting was amazing. If you've seen it, let me know what you thought. **

**Huge thanks for reading, reviewing, and favoriting!**

* * *

**BPOV**

I had a date with Edward, I had a date with Edward, I had a date with Ed—

"Bella? You okay, hon?" Mom asked, interrupting the thoughts that kept circling around in my head.

"Sorry, I'm fine. Got lost in thought for a moment," I told her.

"Hmm. Would that have anything to do with a certain young man who's been hanging around here?"

"Maybe."

"Maybe?"

"Yes! It has to do with Edward. We're going out on Friday night."

Mom let out a squeal that I thought only Alice could pull off. She wrapped her arms around me and gave me a tight hug.

"Oh, my baby girl's going on a date!"

"Mom, it's not like I've never been on a date before," I said, prying her off of me.

"I know, but this is the first time you've gone on a date since we moved here. And that Edward is such a nice young man. Cute, too."

"Mom!"

"What? I'm just saying," she giggled causing me to roll my eyes before leaving the room to do some homework.

Work that night at the diner was pretty slow and uneventful until Jessica and Lauren showed up. It was the first time I'd had to deal with them while working there. Most of the time, my patrons were families with young kids or old men. Rarely did I ever have to deal with kids from school.

I barely held back a groan as I watched them take a seat in my section. Mustering up a smile, I headed toward them, mentally preparing myself for their bitchiness and insults. Although, perhaps Jessica would be on her best behavior seeing as how her mom was working the counter.

I knew the minute they saw me approaching their table. They immediately began whispering to each other and snickering.

I handed them their menus and asked them what they wanted to drink. After serving them their drinks, they placed their orders. Of course, they chose to place the most complicated orders I'd yet to receive.

"I'll have the turkey club on whole grain wheat with a side of light mayo, a sprinkling of lettuce, two tomatoes, and a dash of mustard," Lauren said with a fake smile.

I rolled my eyes as I wrote down her order, knowing that she'd get whatever our cook, Embry, gave her. I turned to Jessica to get her order, knowing she'd be just as difficult.

"I'll take the chef salad with no fat Italian dressing, no tomatoes, no onions. I want the eggs chopped, and the cucumbers thinly sliced."

I barely contained a snort at their holier-than-thou tones. They did realize that we were at the Forks Diner, not a five-star restaurant, right?

I headed behind the counter and placed the order slip, giving Embry warning that the diners were extremely picky.

"Are you kidding me? Thinly sliced cucumbers? A sprinkling of lettuce? What the hell is a sprinkling of lettuce?" I heard him muttering.

After checking on my patrons and taking some more orders, Jessica and Lauren's food was ready. I grabbed their plates and dropped them off at their table, telling them to enjoy their meal. I hadn't moved more than a few feet when Lauren called me back, claiming that her order was wrong. Of course it was. Apparently, there was too much lettuce and too much mustard. She demanded that I take it back and get it right. Thankfully, Jessica wasn't bitching about her order yet.

Grabbing Lauren's plate, I headed back to the kitchen and informed Embry that Lauren was bitching about her order. Scowling, he yanked the lettuce off leaving two tiny pieces and wiped the mustard off with a paper towel.

"Here," he said, thrusting the plate back at me.

I took the plate back to Lauren and set it down in front of her. Seconds later, she shoved the plate back at me.

"I can't eat this! The order is wrong again. What kind of a waitress are you?"

One that was about to shove that plate down Lauren's freaking throat.

"I demand to speak to your manager. I'm filing a complaint. You're completely incompetent."

_Whatever_. I headed to the back office and knocked on Mrs. Stanley's door. Maybe she could reign in the demon queen.

"Mrs. Stanley? I have a customer who'd like to complain to you about me."

I told her that Lauren seemed to have a problem with me. Mrs. Stanley rolled her eyes, commenting as she got up, that Lauren seemed to have a problem with everyone.

I followed Mrs. Stanley out to the dining room and over to Jessica and Lauren's table. I noticed that Jessica's face seemed to pale a bit when she saw her mom, but Lauren's face exuded smugness.

"What seems to be the problem, Lauren?" Mrs. Stanley asked.

Lauren was in her element when it came to complaining about me and her food. On and on and on it went until finally Mrs. Stanley held up a hand effectively shutting her up.

"Jess, did you have any complaints regarding Bella's service?"

"Um … no?"

Mrs. Stanley nodded before turning to Lauren. "My suggestion to you is that if you have such a problem with our service and our food, then you don't need to come back."

Mentally, I was cheering and doing a little dance at seeing Lauren get shot down.

"Jessica, once you're done with dinner, you can go wait in my office until closing. Work on some homework and then you can explain to me why you have detention tomorrow."

_Oh, crap._ I'd totally forgotten about having detention tomorrow.

Once my shift was done, I headed home and walked in on Mom and Dad making out on the couch.

"Oh, gross! Don't you people know that you have impressionable children living under your roof!" I said with my hand covering my eyes.

I heard some movement and slowly peeked through my fingers.

"Calm down, Bells. Your mother and I were just expressing our love," he said, his mustache twitching.

"I'd prefer you'd express your love in the privacy of your bedroom."

Mom patted the couch and told me to tell her about work, so I did. I told them all about Lauren and her hi-jinks. Mom huffed and rolled her eyes.

"Girl thinks because her father's the mayor that she's above the rest of us. Her mother's the same way. Oh, don't even get me started on that woman!" Mom scowled.

"I suppose I should let you know that I have detention tomorrow after school."

They weren't too thrilled to hear about it, but they were used to dealing with Emmett and his detentions, so they didn't complain too much.

* * *

I pulled into the parking lot at school and smiled when I saw Edward waiting for me. He opened my door and helped me out of the truck, wishing me a good morning. We exchanged smiles, and I watched as he blushed. He was so cute.

We walked into school side by side, our hands briefly touching every so often. I wanted to reach out and grab his hand, but I didn't want to assume anything. Sure, he'd asked me out, but it wasn't like he was my boyfriend. Not yet, anyway.

I was so caught up in my musings that I almost jumped when a large warm hand wrapped itself around mine. I looked up and saw Edward looking down at me.

"This okay?" he asked quietly, a blush on his cheeks.

I nodded, giddy on the inside.

Edward walked me to my locker and leaned against Jessica's while I gathered my stuff. Unfortunately, Jessica chose that moment to come down the hallway.

"Move! I need to get into my locker," she snarled at him.

"There's no need to be rude," he told her as he moved away from her locker.

"Oh, fuck off."

"Ms. Stanley! That kind of language is uncalled for. Don't let me hear you using it again or you'll end up in detention," Mr. Banner told her as he passed by us.

She turned to glare at us as if it was her fault she'd gotten called out.

Rolling my eyes at her childish behavior, I grabbed Edward's hand after closing my locker, and we headed down the hall.

By lunch, the rumor mill was on a roll. I knew the second that we'd been spotted holding hands that people would start talking, and I'd been right. I ignored most of the crap being spewed, but that all changed when I was in line with Jasper. We were making fun of the nutritional value of our school lunches when I heard Lauren running off at the mouth.

"I cannot believe Edward! How dare he go out with me and then Bella! What kind of asshole does that?"

I whirled around to say something, but Jasper beat me to it. He handed me his tray and turned to face her, speaking loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Are you delusional or just a liar?" Jasper asked, continuing before Lauren could answer. "I'm going to say it's a bit of both because I know for a fact that Edward never went out with you. I'm sure we all recall when he told both you and Jessica that he wasn't interested in either of you. By lying, you're just making yourself look pathetic."

He turned away from her in disgust, took his tray from me and started walking toward the cashier.

"Oh, and Lauren?" he asked, turning around to face her once more. "Don't even think about spreading lies about my friends or my family. It won't end well for you if you do," he warned.

I couldn't help the grin that crossed my face. Jasper was the quiet brother; a thinker. It was rare for him to lose his temper but when he did, look out.

We were the first to arrive at our table which was unusual. Alice's gym class always let out a bit early so she was almost always the first person there.

"Where's Ali?" I asked Jasper.

Frowning, he pulled out his phone and sent a quick text to her. Seconds later, his phone beeped and he scanned the text.

"She got held up after class. She should be here in a minute."

Minutes later, Emmett and Rose sat down, and I watched as Alice and Edward walked in. I could tell that something was wrong. She wasn't her usual bubbly annoying self. She seemed subdued and angry, and it looked like Edward was trying to calm her down.

They approached the table, neither of them having gotten anything to eat, and Alice sat down with a huff, arms crossed over her chest.

"You should've let me hit her," she said to Edward.

He sat down next to me, shaking his head. "Why hurt yourself or get in trouble over someone who isn't worth it?"

"Hmph. She would've been the one who'd gotten hurt, not me."

"What's going on?" Jasper asked, looking between the two of them.

"Jessica," was their reply.

A brief explanation followed. Basically, it boiled down to the fact that Jessica had verbally attacked Edward, and Alice overheard it. Alice, being the wonderful person that she was, defended Edward which led to an argument between Jessica and Alice.

Edward's arm had found its way across the back of my chair as we listened to Alice recapping what had happened. When she was done, Jasper pulled her into his side and talked softly to her, causing the tension to leave her shoulders.

I turned to ask Edward a question when his stomach let out a ferocious rumble. I let out a giggle as I slid my tray over to him.

"I'm done," I told him. "Feel free to eat what's left."

"Are you sure? I don't want to eat your food."

"It's fine. Besides, I don't want to have to listen to your stomach rumbling during Biology."

As the lunch bell rang, Edward picked up my tray and tossed it before taking my hand.

"Well, well? What's this?" Jasper asked as we walked down the hall with him and Alice.

"What's what?" I asked, feigning ignorance.

"Going on dates, holding hands. I think a romance is a brewing," he sang.

Alice giggled at him as I rolled my eyes. Edward flashed me a grin that made my insides melt.

"You could say that," he said to Jasper.

"Excellent. But, as Bella's brother, I have to warn you—"

"I know, I know. I hurt her, you hurt me."

Jasper snickered. "I take it Rose gave you that speech?"

"Yup."

When the bell rang signaling the end of school, I said goodbye to Edward and my family and trudged off toward Mr. Masen's classroom where detention was held. I opened the door and made my way in, handing Mr. Masen my detention slip.

"Take a seat, Bella."

I saw Jessica and Lauren sitting near the back, heads together. I chose to sit up front, across from Mr. Masen. A few minutes later, James and Alec came waltzing in the door. I saw James' eyes land on me, and he and Alec decided to sit right behind me. That is, until Mr. Masen made them move. He put them on opposite ends of the classroom and did the same with Jessica and Lauren.

"Now that you're all here, welcome to detention," he said with a wry smile. "For some of you, this is nothing new. For those that are new here, the rules are as follows: do your homework, read a book, or sit quietly. There will be no talking, no playing around on your phones. You're here because you broke school rules. Those that choose to disobey my rules will end up with detention for the rest of the week."

Reaching into my bag, I pulled out _Anthem_ by Ayn Rand. I was reading it as part of my independent study for English. Mr. Masen had decided that the first half of the year would be an independent study; each student reading seven books that they selected and keeping a journal regarding those books. Toward the end of the week, Mr. Masen would let those who were reading the same book, have a group discussion. If no one was reading the same book as you, then you'd have a discussion with him.

I was the only one reading _Anthem_, so Mr. Masen and I would discuss the book on Thursday after he looked over my journal entries. It wasn't a very long book; a little over two hundred and fifty pages. The book was written about the future, in a world where individuals have no name, no independence, and no values. All decisions are made by committees and individualism doesn't exist. The story follows a man known as Equality 7-2521 and how he dares to stand apart from the world where he lives. I was loving it.

Taking out my journal that I was keeping for the book, I opened it up to my last entry and began a new one. Detention flew by surprisingly quick as I got immersed in my assignment.

Once detention was over, I waited until James and Alec left before leaving myself. I didn't want to get caught alone with either of them, particularly James.

* * *

Friday finally arrived. I was so freaking excited about my date with Edward, and I wasn't the only one. My mom and sisters were just as excited, which was the reason I was going to be forced to play Bella Barbie.

"Bella! Pay attention," Alice chided as she tossed clothes at me.

I scowled as I watched the pile on her bed growing. Alice and Rose where clothes whores. Me? I was content to where jeans and shirts everyday. I didn't know where Edward was taking me, but I did know that dinner was involved.

"Aha!" Alice cried out as she came scrambling out of her and Rose's closet with something clutched in her grasp.

"Here," she said, thrusting the garment at me.

I held it up and saw it was an off-white colored sweater dress. It was actually cute.

"Wear that with some brown leggings or tights and pair it with those cute brown boots you got last year."

With dress in hand, I was quickly made my way out of their room and into the shower. Hair and body washed, I climbed out of the shower and headed toward my room where I found Mom, Alice, and Rose.

"I'll do your hair then Alice will do your makeup," Rose informed me.

What felt like hours later, I was pronounced gorgeous and ready to get dressed. I stepped into the dress, had Mom zip it up, tossed on some brown tights, and slipped my feet into my boots.

"Oh, Bella! You look so beautiful," Mom said as her eyes teared up.

I rolled mine, not understanding what she was getting so worked up about. It was just a date. _Ha!_ If only.

A little after 6:50, the doorbell rang, and I heard Dad answer the door.

"Good evening, Chief Swan."

"Edward," Dad said in a curt voice.

_Oh, shit. _Dad was going to interrogate him. I rushed down the hall and into the living room in time to see Dad cross his arms and stare at Edward.

"Dad!" I hissed. "Behave."

I saw his mustache twitch as he looked at me. "Fine. Just remember Edward, that I'm the chief of police. I can make you disappear if you hurt my girl. Got it?"

"Dad!" I shouted at the same time Mom hollered, "Charlie!"

Edward nodded in response to Dad's question before telling him he'd never hurt me. My heart melted just a little.

Edward turned to me and asked if I was ready to go. I nodded and we left, with my mom telling us to have a good time.

"You look beautiful," he told me as we walked to his car.

I felt my cheeks warm a bit. "Thanks. You look pretty good yourself," I told him.

And he did. He was so freaking gorgeous. He was wearing black pants and black shirt with a black pinstripe vest on top of it. He was too good-looking for his own good.

We talked about anything and everything on the way to Port Angeles, and I was glad to know that we had stuff in common and stuff to talk about. I was afraid that there'd be an awkward silence on the drive there.

We pulled up in front of this cute little restaurant that I'd driven by a few times.

"I hear they have good food. Is this okay with you?" he asked me after he parked the car.

I nodded and went to open my door, but he stopped me. I gave him a questioning look and he quickly explained that he wanted to get my door for me.

My first instinct was to tell him I could open the door myself, but I sat back and waited until he came around. We walked hand in hand to the restaurant where he opened the door for me. We were seated within a few minutes and told our server would be right with us.

I was busy looking over the menu when our server appeared at our table.

"Hi," she said in a breathy voice. "My name is Staci, and I'll be your server today. Can I start you off with drinks?"

"I'll have a Coke. What about you, Bella?"

I ordered the same, giving the waitress the stink eye. She came back with our drinks and asked if we were ready to order. Actually, she asked Edward if he was ready to order, completely ignoring me.

"Why don't you ask my date if she's ready while I finish deciding," he told her.

I gave her a grin that said, _that's right bitch. He's mine so back off._

I ordered a small steak with a baked potato and Edward did the same.

"It's so nice to be on a date with a girl who eats real food," he commented, leaning his elbows on the table.

"Your other dates didn't eat real food?"

He shook his head. "Nah. Mostly salads."

I made a face. "Well, rest assured. I won't be ordering salads. I hate lettuce."

"Seriously? You hate lettuce? I don't think I've ever met anyone who hated lettuce."

"Aren't there any foods you hate?"

He nodded. "Mushrooms, tomatoes, bananas."

"I can understand the first two, but bananas?"

"They're too mushy," he replied, a disgusting look on his face that made me giggle.

Despite the pathetic attempts of our waitress to flirt with Edward, our dinner date was fantastic. We talked and laughed and had a great time. I hoped that it wasn't over.

As we left the restaurant, Edward took my hand in his and asked if I minded if we took a walk. Of course, I didn't. We walked a ways down the road and then Edward stopped in front of the marine center. My eyes lit up when he ushered me toward the door.

"I was told that you love this place," he murmured in my ear as he held the door the open for me.

I turned to face him, giving him a smile and placing a kiss on his cheek, grinning, when he blushed.

"I do love this place! Thank you for bringing me here."

He gave me a beautiful smile. "Anytime."

We spent hours at the marine center and only left when they threatened to kick us out. The night had grown colder as we walked back to his car and seeing me shiver, Edward wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me into him. I slipped my own arm around his waist and snuggled in close.

"I've had a great time, Bella."

"Me, too."

"Would you be up for another date next week?" he asked quietly, sounding a bit unsure.

"I'm up for any and all dates with you."

The biggest grin crossed his face. He was too freaking much, and I felt myself falling a little harder for him. I wasn't ready to admit that I was in love with him, but I was pretty sure that I was. I knew some people didn't believe that high school love was real, but my parents met in high school and had been married for eighteen years and together for twenty-one. Not that I had any plans to get married at nineteen or anything.

Back at Edward's car, he opened my door for me, and closed it once I was in. We were both a bit quiet on the ride back, neither of us wanting the night to end.

We pulled into my driveway and Edward put the car in park, before turning to face me.

"Bella?"

"Yes?"

"Would you—be my girlfriend?" he asked.

_Holy shit, holy shit! _Edward asked me to be his girlfriend! I let out an Alice-like squeal before throwing myself across the console and into Edward's arms.

"Yes!"

"Really?" he asked, disbelief in his voice.

"Of course, you silly boy. Why wouldn't I want to be your girlfriend?"

"I don't know, but boy am I glad you said yes," he said, wrapping his arms around me and holding me to him.

A flickering of my porch light reminded me that my parents were home and waiting for me to come inside. I would bet anything my dad was peering out the window making sure that Edward was keeping his hands and lips to himself.

I untangled myself from Edward and waited as he got out of the car and opened my door. He walked me up the walk to the front porch.

"Goodnight, beautiful Bella," he said softly, stroking a finger down my cheek. "I had a wonderful time."

I gazed up at him as I told him that it had been the best date I'd been on ever.

He leaned down, his lips barely a hairbreadth away, and I closed my eyes. I was so ready for his kiss. A kiss I didn't get because the front door swung up and Emmett's voice boomed through the night.

"Hey, kids!"

Edward let out a groan and dropped his head onto my shoulder.

"I should've kissed you in the car," he muttered, and I agreed.

Knowing that Emmett wasn't going away anytime soon, and that Dad had most likely put him up to it, I reluctantly said goodnight to Edward.

I watched as he strolled back to his car and waved as he headed down the drive. I then turned to Emmett and hit him as hard as I could.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"You know exactly what it was for," I snarled as I stomped inside.

"Sorry, Bells. Dad made me do it."

Of course he did. I headed past the living room where Dad was sitting trying to look innocent and went to my room. I should've known that I would be bombarded by my sisters and mom the second I walked in.

"Well?" they all asked.

"It was fantastic. He's such a gentleman," I told them before giving them the highlights of the night.

"Did he kiss you?" Rose asked.

I shook my head. "He was about to, but Emmett decided to open the door and ruin the moment. Apparently, Dad put him up to it."

Mom's face darkened, and she bellowed out Dad's name before leaving my room. I couldn't control the snicker that escaped me. It served Dad right if he got in trouble with Mom.

Later that night as I tried to sleep, my mind kept playing over the almost kiss with Edward. I hoped that the I wouldn't have to wait too long for it to happen.

* * *

**a/n: What's your least favorite food? For me, like Bella, I hate lettuce. Absolutely hate it.**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: As always, thanks for reading and reviewing! On you go.**

* * *

**EPOV**

I was unbelievably nervous. Sweaty palms? Check. Butterflies in stomach? Check. On the verge of puking? Check.

"Shouldn't you be leaving? You don't want to be late picking Bella up. That wouldn't make a very good impression on the Chief," Dad said, scaring the crap out of me as he entered my room.

I glanced at the clock, realizing he was right. Okay. I could do this. It wasn't like I'd never dated before. But, I'd never dated Bella Swan before.

I headed downstairs and was about to head out the door when Esme stopped me.

"That's what you're wearing?" she asked with a disapproving look.

I looked down at myself, not seeing what the problem was. I was wearing a nice pair of jeans with a dark green sweater and a polo underneath.

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

She shook her head as she got up off the couch, took my arm, and dragged me back upstairs. I impatiently waited as she dug through my closet.

"Here," she said, thrusting some clothes at me. "Wear this."

Huffing a sigh, I took the clothes and stomped into my bathroom. I quickly changed and was actually pleased with the outfit that Esme had picked out. Dark pants, dark shirt, and a pinstripe vest. It looked good.

"Much better," she said when I exited the bathroom.

"Thanks," I told her as I rushed back downstairs.

I grabbed my keys and ran out the door. The last thing I wanted was to be late for my date with Bella.

I pulled into the Swan's drive with ten minutes to spare. I got out of the car, wiped my sweaty palms off on my pants, and rang the doorbell.

I was greeted by a stern looking Chief Swan; not the Chief Swan I'd gotten to know. Then again, I hadn't been about to go on a date with his daughter before.

"Good evening, Chief Swan," I said.

"Edward," he said in a curt voice.

He gestured me in, and I followed him inside to the living room where he crossed his arms and gave me a stare. I did my best not to fidget, but I had a feeling I was about to be interrogated. I wasn't sure I liked this side of the Chief. I was mentally preparing myself for the questions he was about to ask when Bella came running into the room and told the Chief to behave.

"Fine. Just remember Edward, that I'm the chief of police. I can make you disappear if you hurt my girl. Got it?"

I nodded response even as Bella and Mrs. Swan yelled at him and told him that I would never do anything to hurt Bella.

Finally, we were able to leave and as we walked out to my car, I told Bella how beautiful she looked. And she did. She was wearing some sweater-dress thingy with boots, her long brown hair was down, and she had a bit of makeup on.

As we drove into Port Angeles, we got to know a little bit more about each other.

"Do you miss Phoenix?" she asked, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Not as much as I thought I would. I miss the sun and the warmth, and my friends. Friends who apparently don't miss me that much," I grumbled, still upset that I'd only heard from a few of them. "But, I'm learning to really like Forks."

"Yeah?"

I nodded. "Yeah. See, there's this beautiful brunette who captured my attention right away. I definitely like her. She also has a kick ass family, and I've become friends with her siblings. So, I'd have to say Forks isn't all that bad."

"Well, I can tell you that the brunette is very glad that you came to Forks."

We smiled at each other just as one of my favorite songs came on the radio. I cranked it up and busted out singing to Ed Sheeran's _You Need Me, I Don't Need You._

To my surprise, Bella joined me and I was more than impressed that she knew all the words.

"I can't believe you know Ed Sheeran," I told her.

"I'm slightly obsessed with British music," she confessed, and in that second I fell even harder for her.

"Me, too. What else do you like?"

"The color green, the smell of freshly mowed grass, the sound of rain hitting the roof. I love peanut butter and banana sandwiches, my dad's Old Spice cologne, and baseball. What about you?"

I couldn't help but laugh at her random answers. I'd been asking about what other music she might have liked, and Bella surprised me by going off in a different direction.

"Browns my favorite color, I love the feel of the sun on my skin, and the sound of bacon frying makes me giddy," I told her, grinning when she started to giggle. "I love baseball, reading, and I play the piano."

"You play the piano?"

I nodded.

"Would you play for me sometime?" she asked.

"Sure. Carlisle's got a piano, but I'm not sure if it's tuned or not."

I pulled into the parking lot of Cafe Garden and was about to get out when Bella turned to face me.

"Why do you call your dad Carlisle?"

I angled myself to face her as I answered. "Because I've never really thought of him as my dad. My parents divorced when I was three, and I've always lived with my mom. I would see Carlisle for the occasional holiday visit or for a week or two in the summer, but we never actually spent a whole lot of time together."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry," she said.

I reached over and touched her hand. "It's fine. You weren't prying at all. See, my mom always warned me about Carlisle. When I would come home with expensive gifts, she'd warn me that he was trying to buy my affection. She'd always talk crap about him; tell me he was a shitty husband or a selfish jerk. Stuff like that. But not once, has he ever spoken bad about her."

I paused a moment to gather my thoughts. It felt good to have someone to talk to about my parents. I hadn't realized it, but I needed to talk about it.

"When Mom sent me up here, I felt betrayed and more than a little angry. She meets some guy on the Internet, then decides to move to Jacksonville, and marry him. I didn't even have a say in the situation. It was like bam! She made up her mind to move and decided she didn't want me around anymore."

Bella's hand came up and cupped my cheek. "I'm sure that isn't true, Edward. Have you talked to her since you moved here?"

I nodded. "Once. She wants me to spend Christmas with her and her husband, Eleazar. I told her I would, but I don't really want to."

"You should. That way you can talk to her, tell her how you're feeling. She's your mom, Edward. She loves you, of that I have no doubt."

I nodded and changed the subject. I hated that things had gotten so morose on our first date. I asked if she was ready to eat and she nodded. I got out of the car, opened her door, and led her into the restaurant.

The food was excellent, but I wasn't too pleased with the service. Our waitress was so annoying. She kept ignoring Bella which pissed me off, and in the end I left a small tip.

After dinner, we walked hand in hand to the marine center, and my heart warmed when I saw the delight on Bella's face.

"I was told that you love this place."

She turned to face me and pressed a kiss to my cheek, causing me to blush.

"I do love this place! Thank you for bringing me here."

We had a fantastic time and as we walked back to the car, I asked her if she'd go out with me again. Her response left the biggest and cheesiest smile on my face.

"I'm up for any and all dates with you."

When we got back to her house, I asked her if she'd be my girlfriend and she said yes. I felt like I could fly. The feelings that I had for Bella were unlike any feelings I'd ever had before. Not even Tanya had made me feel the way Bella did.

I was sad that the night was over, but it had been the best date of my life so far. Hand in hand, we walked up the stairs to her porch.

"Goodnight, beautiful Bella," I told her, stroking a finger down her cheek. "I had a wonderful time."

"Me, too. This has been the best date ever," she said with a beautiful smile.

I knew in that moment that I had to kiss her. I leaned down, my lips so close to hers and just as I was about to kiss her, Emmett opened the door. I dropped my head to her shoulder, mumbling that I should've kissed her in the car. She agreed, and I promised myself that I would kiss her the next chance I got.

* * *

I lazed around in bed Saturday morning, just enjoying how good my life had suddenly become. I had a girlfriend, a good set of friends, and the sun was shining. A little after eleven, I showered, threw on some clothes, and headed downstairs only to find Carlisle and Esme in a heated embrace.

I stammered an apology and ran back upstairs wishing to hell I could un-see what I'd just seen.

A knock on my door, brought my head out of my pillow.

"Sorry, Ed. We didn't mean to embarrass you," Carlisle said as he came into my room.

"No, it's fine. It's your house. I just … uh, wasn't expecting to see that."

Carlisle's cheeks turned a bit pink. "Yeah, um … well, you see …" he trailed off, and I was a bit amused at how flustered he seemed.

"I asked Esme to marry me," he blurted out.

I stared at him for a second, stunned by his outburst. "Congratulations!"

"Thanks, son. I had this romantic proposal in mind, and instead I blurt out 'want to marry me?' in the kitchen over eggs."

I snorted. I couldn't help it. It was kind of funny.

"I'm assuming she said yes."

"Of course I did," Esme said, coming into my room as well. "I've been waiting forever for him to propose."

After congratulating them once again and learning that Esme would be moving in with us over the next few weeks, I called up Bella to see what she was doing.

"Hey, Edward! I can't talk at the moment. Mrs. Stanley asked me to come in and work this afternoon since one of the other girls is out with the flu."

To say I was bummed was an understatement. After hanging up with Bella, I decided to see if Emmett or Jasper wanted to hang out.

"Sure thing dude. C'mon over," Emmett said.

After telling Carlisle and Esme where I was going, I headed over to the Swan house and was greeted by Mrs. Swan.

"Edward, dear! Come on in. The boys are in the living room playing some video game."

"Thanks, Mrs. Swan."

I headed down the hall into the living room and found Emmett and Jasper playing _Major League Baseball_ on the Xbox.

"Fuck!" Emmett roared as he tossed down his controller. "How the fuck did you win again?"

"Emmett McCarty Swan! One more swear word, and I'll wash your mouth out with soap. Don't think I won't!" Mrs. Swan hollered.

Jasper was doubled over with laughter as Emmett got yelled at.

"Hey, Ed. Just in time. Want to play against me?" he asked, tossing me Emmett's controller.

Fifteen minutes later, I was up by four and couldn't believe that I was actually winning at a video game. I had a man up to bat when Jasper asked me a question that threw my concentration off.

"How was your date with Bella?"

I fumbled and lost control of my controller, watching as it fell to the floor. I'd momentarily forgotten that Jasper and Emmett were Bella's brothers. I'd totally walked right into the lion's den without a second thought.

"Yeah, how was your date with my baby sister?" Emmett asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"It was great. We had a fantastic time," I replied.

They both stared at me.

"What?" I asked, getting a little freaked out.

"What are your intentions toward our baby sister?"

"We're dating. I mean, I asked her to be my girlfriend and she agreed. So, yeah. We're dating," I managed to get out.

"Excellent!" Emmett said.

"Good. She couldn't have found a nicer guy."

My body sagged with relief once I realized that they weren't going to beat the crap out of me.

We went back to playing the game, when Bella came in and plopped down on the couch next to me.

"Hiya, Edward," she said, giving me a kiss on the cheek.

I felt myself blush as I gave her a smile.

She took the controller out of my hand, tossed it to Emmett, and dragged me toward her room.

"Door remains open!" Mrs. Swan hollered from down the hall.

"Yes, ma'am!" Bella shouted back.

And there we were. Sitting on Bella's bed, staring at one another. A strand of her hair had fallen loose from her braid, and I reached up to tuck it behind her ear. I couldn't resist her. She was so beautiful, although she did smell like fries.

"You're so pretty," I murmured as my finger traced down her cheek.

She grinned. "Not as pretty as you."

I let out a snort. I wasn't pretty.

I dropped my gaze to her lips and knew then and there that I had to kiss her. I cupped her face in my hands, and slowly lowered my lips to hers.

Our lips lightly brushed and as I went to deepen the kiss, I heard the voice of Chief Swan announcing that he was home. _Well, crap. _We both let out sighs and pulled apart. The last thing I wanted was for the Chief to kill me for having my lips on his daughter.

"I think the universe is against us," I mumbled.

"I think you're right."

* * *

Monday morning the halls of Forks were filled with the news that Bella and I were dating. I didn't see how it was anyone's business, but the people at Forks High sure thought it was theirs.

I was busy shoving my coat in my locker when James stopped at his locker.

"So, I hear you're dating Bella."

"Yep," I replied.

"Good luck, bro. That bitch is ice cold. Won't put out for nothing."

I slammed my locker shut and turned to glare at him. "Watch your mouth, James!"

He slammed his own locker shut and got in my face.

"What are you gonna do about it, huh Cullen?"

I shoved him out of my face and next thing I knew, my face was throbbing from the hit it had taken from James. I'd never been a fight before, but I sure as hell wasn't going to stand back and let him hit me.

Clenching my fist, I swung back, wincing when my fist made contact with his chin.

Before I knew it, I was being pounded on by James with his friends egging him on. I flinched as blow after blow hit my body, but I was doing my best to get a few hits in.

"What is going on here?!" a voice hollered.

Seconds later, James was pulled off of me, and I was a bent over, pain-filled mess.

"Get to my office, now!" Principle Greene shouted at James. "Edward, get to the nurse's office, then I'll need to speak with you."

I nodded and as I began to limp down the hall, the Swans surrounded me. Jasper and Emmett wrapped my arms around their shoulders while Bella pressed paper towels to the bleeding cuts.

"What in the world?" the nurse asked as we walked into her office.

"James," Jasper explained.

The nurse poked, prodded, sterilized and mopped up blood. Taking a good look at the cut on my head, she informed me that I needed stitches and Carlisle was called.

"Edward! Jesus, son! What the hell happened?" he asked as he rushed into the nurse's office a while later.

"James beat him up, Dr. Cullen," Bella explained.

"What? Why?"

"Good question, Dr. Cullen. Edward, I've heard his side of things, now I need to hear yours," Mr. Greene said from the doorway.

Quickly, I explained what had happened. I even admitted that I was the one that started things by shoving James.

"I realize that violence isn't the answer, but he was talking bad about Bella."

Mr. Greene let out a sigh before informing me that I was suspended for two days. There was a lot of protesting from those around me, but I accepted it. I had started the fight, and I deserved the punishment.

"James has been suspended for a week," Mr. Greene informed us.

Carlisle opened his mouth to presumedly argue some more, but I told him it was fine. Seeing that he wasn't going to win, he ushered me out to his car so he could take me to the hospital for a proper exam and stitches.

I handed my car keys to Rose and asked her to drop my car off for me.

"Are you sure?" she asked, staring that the keys with reverence.

"Yeah."

Six stitches later, I was back at home, sprawled out on the couch with several ice packs placed strategically all over my body. Carlisle handed me some painkillers which I gladly took and before I knew it, I was being awoken by a beautiful, sweet voice.

"Hey, Edward," Bella said softly, brushing my hair out of my eyes.

"Hi."

"How are you feeling?" she asked, picking up my hand and placing a kiss on it.

"Not so hot. I kind of feel like I got the crap beat out of me."

"Probably cause you did. What were you thinking, Edward?"

"He was bad mouthing my girl! He got in my face, I shoved him, and then fists started flying. I know that I shouldn't have pushed him, but …" I trailed off at the look on her face.

_Crap! _I'd pissed her off. I was getting ready to apologize when my arms were filled with Bella, and she was pressing kisses all over my face. Well … that wasn't what I was expecting, but I wasn't complaining.

"That is the sweetest, yet stupidest thing any guy has ever done for me. But next time, just walk away! I don't want your pretty face to get messed up. Understood?"

I nodded, wanting her lips back on me.

"Where's Carlisle?"

"He had to head back to the hospital," she told me.

"So, we're here alone?"

She nodded.

"Finally," I mumbled as I cupped the back of her head and brought her lips to mine.

Our lips gently brushed against one another before passion set in. Lips parted, tongues dueled, teeth nibbled. It was the best kiss of my life, and I'd never wanted it to stop.

We sat there kissing and hugging for hours until Bella's phone rang interrupting us. It was her mom calling wanting to know when she was coming home.

"I need to get going," she said with a sigh. "I'll stop by tomorrow after work. I'm going to miss seeing you at school for the next two days."

Later that night, Carlisle helped me up to my room and handed me some more drugs.

"Thanks, Dad."

"Sure, son. I wanted to let you know that I'm proud of you. While I don't condone fighting, I'm proud of you for standing up for Bella."

It made me feel good to know that Carlisle was proud of me. I hadn't realized how much I needed and wanted his support. I'd spent years listening to my mother tell me that he didn't care, but she was wrong. He did.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Thanks for your wonderful reviews. On you go.**

* * *

**BPOV **

I'd been kissed before but never had a kiss affected me the way Edward's had. It hadn't even been a full-on makeout session, yet my lips were still tingling hours later.

I would never forget the look in his eye when he had realized that we were alone. Our lips had gently brushed against one another, parted, and then tongues touched. It had literally taken my breath away.

Now, as I lay in my bed, I couldn't help but touch my fingers to my lips and relive the kiss over and over. I couldn't wait until I could kiss him again.

My dreams that night were filled with wonderful visions of Edward, and when I woke up, I couldn't wait to see him.

The following morning, I drove to school, parked in the lot, met up with my siblings, and walked into the building.

It seemed that all the school was talking about was the fight between Edward and James. I rolled my eyes at some of the more outrageous tales that people were telling. These people seriously needed to get a life.

I got to my locker and could barely contain a groan as I spotted Jessica and Lauren hanging out at her locker. Sucking it up, I strolled down the hall and opened my locker, ignoring both of the girls. Unfortunately, they didn't ignore me.

"Is it true, Isabella?" Lauren asked, tossing her hair behind her shoulder.

Continuing to ignore her, I took books out of my bag and exchanged them for other books that were in my locker.

"It is true, isn't it? The reason that Edward and James were fighting was because Edward found out that you were screwing James."

I rolled my eyes at her ridiculousness, not bothering to respond. I closed my locker and started toward my first class with Jessica and Lauren trailing behind me, harassing me the whole way.

I saw Mrs. Riley, my History teacher, standing in the hall near the door to her class. I headed toward her with Jessica and Lauren still behind me. I wasn't about to get into a fight with them, but I wasn't opposed to getting them in trouble.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Riley?" I asked as I approached her.

"Good morning, Bella. How are you?"

I shot a look at Jessica and Lauren before I answered Mrs. Riley.

"I'd be better if Jessica and Lauren would stop harassing me," I began as I heard the two girls begin to protest behind me.

Mrs. Riley turned to both the girls and pulled them aside and began speaking to them. Then, she stopped a few students that had been in the hall with us and talked to them as well. Eventually, Jessica and Lauren left in a huff, looking upset.

"Thank you, Mrs. Riley," I said as we walked into her classroom.

She was one of my favorite teachers, always kind and fair, and she didn't take kindly to students being bullied.

"Of course. Have you decided on what you're going to do for your history project?" she asked.

"I think I'm going to focus on the Battle of Antietam," I told her as I took my seat.

"Excellent. Once class starts I'll discuss the specifics of the projects."

Surprisingly, school past quickly, and by the end of the day, most of the rumors surrounding the fight had died down.

As soon as school was over, I waved goodbye to my siblings and headed toward work. Normally, I didn't work until six, but Mrs. Stanley had me covering for one of the other waitresses, and I wasn't going to say no to the money. I wasn't the best waitress in the world, but I was decent enough to make some good tips. It was liberating having my own money, and I had to force myself not to go crazy and spent it on stupid things. Instead, I was taking half of my money and putting in a savings account. The rest was for me to spend and use for gas.

Work was going well until Jessica stopped in and stomped behind the counter. Mrs. Stanley had informed me that Jessica was going to be working a few afternoons behind the counter. I'd totally forgotten about it.

"Jess, you're late," Mrs. Stanley said when she saw Jessica.

"I had detention," she mumbled while shooting a glare at me.

Mrs. Stanley noticed the look that Jessica was giving me and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Why did you have detention?"

I didn't hear Jessica's response because one of my table's needed my assistance, but I was dying to know what she'd said.

Once work was over, I gave Edward a quick call to make sure it was still okay if I came over.

"Of course, sweet girl. I missed seeing you today."

I also gave my folks a call to let them know I was going to Edward's. They were fine with it, just telling me to be home no later than ten since I still had homework to do.

I pulled into Edward's drive and parked behind an unfamiliar car. I figured that it must belong to Esme, Edward's soon-to-be stepmother. I'd been a bit concerned about him at first when he told me, seeing as he and Dr. Cullen were just starting to really get to know one another. Edward assured me, however, that Esme was really cool and that he liked her.

I rang the doorbell and was greeted by the most elegant looking woman I'd ever seen.

"You must be Bella! I'm Esme," she said as she let me in.

"It's wonderful to meet you," I told her, liking her instantly.

"Likewise. Your boy is up in his room moping about," she said with a wink. "Just leave the door open, please."

I grinned as I headed upstairs and found Edward on his bed, head buried in a comic book.

"What'cha reading?" I asked as I flopped down next to him, startling him.

"Jesus! You scared the crap out of me," he said, causing me to laugh.

We spent the next forty-five minutes sharing sweet kisses and talking about nothing in general. It was wonderful.

I got home at ten exactly, causing Dad to give me a look.

"What? You said be home by ten, and I am."

I dashed off to my room and began working on the mounds of homework that I had. By the time, I was caught up it was close to eleven, and I was exhausted.

* * *

"So, where are you and Edward going tonight?" Alice asked as she sat on the floor in my room looking at a fashion magazine.

"We're just hitting up a movie and then getting some dinner."

"What are you guys seeing?"

I shrugged. "No idea. We'll figure it out when we get there. Why?"

"I was just wondering."

I narrowed my eyes as I looked at her. The pixie was up to something, and all it took was me threatening to bleach all of her clothes for her to spill.

"Jasper and Emmett wanted to know."

"Why? It's none of their business what Edward and I do or where we go."

Alice let out a sigh as she put down the magazine. "I know that, but you're basically the baby of the family. They like Edward and all, but I guess the boys are worried that he's going to break your heart or hurt you in someway."

_Stupid, infuriating older brothers!_ I climbed off my bed and hunted down the idiots in their room, rocking out to some crappy music.

"Okay, you two! Listen up! If you so much as show up at the theater or anywhere else I happen to be with Edward, I will destroy you! Do you understand me?"

The boys stared at me before they started laughing, obviously not taking me seriously.

I stomped over to Emmett and got right up in his face. "Do you think I'm kidding? Because I can assure you, I'm not. I wonder how Mom and Dad would react if they knew about that tattoo you have on your butt? Or maybe they'd be interested to hear about the time that you got busted for under-age drinking in Seattle?"

The look on Emmett's face was one of disbelief.

"How do you know about that?" he asked.

"About what? The tattoo? Rose told me. As for the under-age drinking—" I shrugged. "I have my ways."

Then I turned to Jasper.

"Shall I tell Mom and Dad about the drugs that you were doing last year?"

His face drained of color. "No! Please don't tell them. I'm not doing that anymore now."

I knew that. Alice and I had caught him stumbling out of the woods behind the house, stoned out of his mind. He'd sworn it was a one time thing, but it hadn't been. It quickly become a once a day thing, until Alice and I could't take it anymore. We'd sat him down and threatened to go to our parents if he didn't quit. It had taken a bit of time and given me one hell of a headache, but we had finally gotten him to quit.

"Okay. So, we have an understanding then?"

Both boys nodded.

A little after six, Edward and I arrived at the theater in Port Angeles. I wished there was a different theater around because the minute we got out of the car, I saw Jessica, Mike, Lauren, and Eric.

I barely held back a groan and grinned when Edward let out a groan of his own upon seeing them.

"Want to skip the movie?" he asked.

As tempting as it was, it turned out there was a movie that we both really wanted to see.

"No. Let's show them that their spiteful and pathetic attitudes don't bother us."

"Well, all right then," he said, grasping my hand in his.

Ignoring them, we went inside and got our tickets and popcorn. I didn't care that we were going out to eat later. We were at the movies. You didn't go to the movies and not get movie popcorn with extra butter.

With food and drinks in hand, we entered the theater and got the perfect seats. The middle of the middle row. At least they were perfect, until the annoying foursome showed up.

The theater wasn't overly crowded and there were plenty of seats for them to take, but they chose to sit in the seats behind us. I could barely contain a huff. I didn't like having them behind me.

"If they try anything, I may not be held accountable for my actions," I whispered into Edward's ear.

He picked my hand up and gave it a kiss.

"I'm with you," he mumbled as the group behind us began to talk quite loudly.

We talked quietly through the commercials, doing our best to ignore the idiots behind us. Finally, the lights went down and the previews began.

And the talking behind us got louder. I knew that they were doing it on purpose in hopes of gaining a reaction from either myself or Edward, but we refused to fall for their stupid games.

In the end, all they managed to do was piss other people off. Several of other movie-goers shushed them or whispered for them to shut up. Edward and I found it quite amusing.

Sadly, the movie wasn't as good as we'd thought it would be. The commercials for it had mad it out to be a cute romantic comedy, but it was more of a semi-romantic, not very funny comedy.

"This move is as lame as Bella," Lauren said from behind us, causing their little band of idiots to giggle.

I rolled my eyes at their childish behavior. And on and on it went until a movie employee came up the steps.

"I'm going to have to ask the four of you to leave," he said.

"What?" Mike asked. "You can't make us leave! We paid for our tickets."

"I can and I will," the guy said. "We've had several complaints about your disruptive behavior."

Edward and I could barely contain our laughter as they were escorted out of the theater. Karma was a bitch.

"I have to say that was quite entertaining," Edward told me with a grin as we walked into the lobby of the theater.

"I have to agree. So, where to now?"

He shrugged, taking my hand in his. "I'm game for whatever."

"Really?"

He nodded.

"C'mon then," I said, dragging him out the door toward his car.

As soon as we walked out the door, we were met with four pissed off kindergartners. Or at least, that's what they were acting like. They stood there with arms crossed, trying to be intimidating and failing miserably.

We tried to walk around them, but Mike and Eric got in our way.

"You didn't have to get us thrown out!" Mike growled.

"We didn't. We were sitting in front of you the whole time. Did you see either of us get up and leave to get the manager? No. Now, move," Edward said in a commanding voice that I found insanely hot.

But Mike and Eric refused to move.

"Do you want me to go back inside and get security? Because I will. Or perhaps, I should call one of the local cops. They're friends with my dad and would be more than willing to help me out, especially if I told them I was being threatened," I said.

"Watch your back, Swan," Lauren threatened as she got in my face.

I was tired of their crap. Sick and tired off it. Pulling out my phone, I made good on what I'd said. I called Tom Demitri, a good friend of my dad's, and a cop.

"Tom? This is Bella Swan."

"Bella, hi. What can I do for you?"

Shooting the group a smirk, I said, "My boyfriend and I are being harassed by a group of kids from school."

"Shall I come down there and straighten them out?" Tom asked loudly enough for them to hear.

Scowling, the four of them walked off, and I told Tom it wouldn't be necessary, but I appreciated the offer.

He let out a laugh. "No problem. If they give you anymore trouble, call me. I'll be more than happy to help you out."

I thanked him again, then Edward and I got into his car.

"So, where am I going?" he asked as he drove out of the theater parking lot.

I gave him directions then watched with a smile as he pulled up to our destination.

"No freaking way!"

I couldn't contain a giggle at his reaction. I knew that he'd get a kick out of it.

"Jasper and Emmett were beside themselves when they found this place. Honestly, it's amazing that it's still around considering," I told him.

His eyes were wide and a huge grin was on his face as we walked into the arcade. Yes, we were at an honest to God game arcade. They had everything from foosball to pinball to Pacman. It was a gamer's paradise.

"This is—it's amazing! I didn't think arcades were around anymore except for the piddly one at the theater."

I snickered at his enthusiasm. "Well, it's called Arcade Heaven for a reason."

Grabbing my hand, he pulled me along behind him as he gawked and pointed at machine after machine. We shoved bills into a change machine, scooping up the quarters as they came out.

Once our pockets were ladened with quarters we spent a good five minutes debating on what to play. I wanted pinball, he wanted Donkey Kong. A coin toss determined that pinball was the game we were playing first.

I headed over to my favorite pinball machine. A 1970s bowling themed machine. Edward scoffed a bit, but unbeknownst to him, I was a pinball champion. I won against everyone I played, and Edward was about to get schooled.

I wracked up an impressively high score, breaking my own record, and grinned when I turned to face Edward.

"Your turn," I said, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

The boy gave it his best, but his best wasn't good enough. I kicked his ass plain and simple. Nobody, and I mean nobody, beat me at pinball.

"You might be the pinball champion, but let's see how you do at Donkey Kong."

It was one hell of a battle, but Edward won by a fraction. After Donkey Kong came Foosball, then air-hockey. We lost track of time and before we knew it, we'd been at the arcade for several hours. It was the perfect date, if you know, you don't take into account the horrible foursome.

It was a little after ten by the time we got back to Forks, and I didn't want the night to end. Since it was the weekend my curfew wasn't until midnight, so we still had a couple of hours to kill.

Edward drove us back to his house which was dark. Apparently, Esme and Dr. Cullen were away for the weekend. I was fairly certain that my father wouldn't approve of me being along in the Cullen House with Edward, and I felt slightly guilty as I followed him inside.

We sprawled out on the couch in the living room in front of the huge TV and watched crime shows. There was a bit of kissing and lots of cuddling, but not once did Edward attempt anything appropriate.

A little after eleven, Edward helped me off the couch and drove me home. I invited him inside, glad when he agreed.

"Hello, Edward," Mom said as we walked into the living room. "Did you kids have a good time?"

We nodded as we sat down on the couch.

"We went to the movies, and then I took Edward to Arcade Heaven," I said, grinning when Emmett came running into the room lamenting about how unfair it was that we went there without him.

"Man, I love that freaking place! Did you kick his ass in pinball?" he asked.

"Do you even need to ask?"

Emmett let out a laugh before clapping Edward on the back.

"We should all go up there tomorrow. Have ourselves a huge tournament."

Mom shook her head. "Sorry, Emmett. We're visiting your Aunt Sue and Uncle Harry tomorrow."

Em and I groaned. We hated going to visit them. It wasn't that they weren't nice. They were. It was our cousin, Leah. She was something else.

Mom frowned at us. "Don't act like that."

"But, Mom—" Emmett began.

"No," she said firmly. "They're family, and you will behave. I don't care how rude Leah is, you will be the bigger person and act mature."

Edward had a puzzled look on his face, and I quickly explained that Leah was our cousin.

"Mom's half-sister, Sue, lives on the La Push Reservation. Aunt Sue's got two kids, Leah and Seth. Leah is our age, while Seth is about fourteen. Seth is the sweetest kid you'll ever meet, but Leah … she's a pain."

"Ha! What Bella really means to say is that Leah is a bit—"

Mom smacked him on the back of the head before he could continue.

Not too much later, I walked Edward to the door, gave him a kiss and told him I'd talk to him later.

The following morning, we piled into Emmett's Jeep and followed Mom and Dad to La Push.

As we pulled up to Aunt Sue and Uncle Harry's house, we could all ready hear the hollering. Leah was apparently on a roll.

"Great. Just how I wanted to spend my Saturday," Jasper mumbled.

Slowly, we got out of the car and made our way toward the house. Mom and Dad were already inside. Aunt Sue greeted us with a hugs, and then we all gathered in the living room. Seth bounded over to us, bumping fists with the boys, and hugging us girls. Leah, on the other hand, stood sulking in the corner.

My mom and Aunt Sue began talking about teaching while Dad and Uncle Harry discussed their upcoming fishing trip. The boys and Seth went to play football in the backyard, and Alice and Rose quickly took off after them.

As I got up to follow the others, Mom began telling Aunt Sue about Edward. That's all it took to get Leah's attention.

"Oh, please. Bella with a boyfriend? Don't be ridiculous. She probably made him up," she snarled.

"Leah!"

"What?" she shrugged. "You know it's the truth."

"No, it's not," Mom told her. "We've met him, and he's a wonderful young man. The boys and Charlie like him."

Uncle Harry let out a laugh.

"Seriously? You like your daughter's boyfriend?"

"I like Jasper and Emmett, don't I?" Dad said with a grin. "But yes, I do like Edward. He's Carlisle Cullen's son. The kid's got a good head on his shoulders, plus he throws a mean fast ball."

I could just see that Leah was going to make another snarky comment, so I excused myself and headed outside.

I sat down at the picnic table in the yard and pulled out my phone, sending a text off to Edward.

_Are you surviving?_ He asked.

_Barely. Leahs a nightmare._

_Sorry, babe. Too bad you couldnt spend the day with me_

_that wouldve been nice._

We texted for the next half hour before we were called in for supper.

Once the boys had washed up, we all gathered around the large table that was crammed into the dining room. Uncle Harry had grilled some fish that he'd paired with corn and potatoes. It was pretty damn good.

"So, boys. Are you ready for our annual fishing trip next week?" Harry asked.

Emmett and Jasper barely contained their groans. They hated fishing, but they knew how much it meant to Dad.

"You bet," Emmett said before a sly grin came across his face. I didn't like that look at all.

"You know what? We should totally ask Edward to come with. I bet he'd love it," he said.

Dad's face lit up. He loved taking people out fishing with the exception of his daughters. We tended to bitch, moan, and squeal the whole time. What Dad didn't realize was that we did it on purpose.

Turning to me Dad asked, "Do you think he'd want to go?"

Probably not, but I could promise that Edward wouldn't say no to his girlfriend's fathers offer.

After getting permission to text at the table, something that was normally frowned upon, I asked Edward if he wanted to fish with my dad and brothers.

My phone beeped a few seconds later.

_Sure. Ive never fished before though_

Dad told me to tell Edward not to worry about it, and that he would teach him Saturday.

Later that night after we got home, something I was ever so grateful for, I gave Edward a call.

We talked about his day and his impending fishing trip with my dad, uncle and brothers.

"You do realize that they're going to spend the whole time interrogating you, right?" I asked.

Edward let out a chuckle that warmed my insides.

"I figured as much. Although, I've sort of always wanted to try fishing. I hear it's relaxing."

I let out a snort. "Nothing relaxing about being a boat with Emmett. Just make sure you wear a life vest," I warned.

We talked well into the early hours of the morning and as we were hanging up, I could've sworn I heard him say I love you. I shook it off. I'd obviously heard him wrong, and I wasn't about to call him back and ask. But, I hoped it was true because I was so in love with him.

* * *

**a/n: Leave me something. Love, hate, sugar-free cookies, Edward Cullen.**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: I'm about 10 minutes from going to bed (yes, I realize it's not quite 2pm Central time, but I work 3rd shift), and I was so caught up writing for CampNano that I almost forgot to post this. But, I remembered. So here you go. As always, thanks so much for reading!**

* * *

**EPOV**

My alarm went off at four in the morning, and I let out a curse as I slammed my hand down on the offensive clock, effectively silencing it. Today was the day that I would be going fishing with not only my girlfriend's father, but her brothers and uncle. I only hoped that I came back, and that it wasn't in a body bag.

I stumbled into the shower before getting dressed and quietly making my way downstairs. A little after four-thirty, I got a text from Emmett letting me know that they would be there in a few minutes. I decided to wait outside for them, so that they wouldn't honk and wake Esme and Carlisle up.

A few minutes later, an old Suburban with a fancy fishing boat hooked to the trailer pulled into the drive, and I opened the back door and climbed in beside Emmett.

Chief Swan bid me good morning, handing me a cup of coffee which I gratefully took. I wasn't normally a coffee drinker, but I'd need it today.

"Thanks, Chief Swan."

"You can call me Charlie, son."

Well, all right then. I was introduced to Harry right after that, and I told him it was nice to meet him.

Settling back into my seat I sipped my coffee as Jasper snored in the seat in front of me. About an hour later, we pulled onto a gravel road and drove for miles before coming to a small parking lot. Charlie had us all get out while he put the boat into the river with the help of Harry.

Gathering up the gear and the coolers, Jasper, Emmett, and I made our way down to the rickety dock where we handed Charlie and Harry the coolers and gear.

"Alright, Edward. Step aboard," Harry said with a grin.

Gingerly, I stepped onto the boat, trying not to freak when the whole thing wobbled. I'd never been on a boat before, and I just hoped I didn't get sick. Once I was on, Harry pointed me toward a seat to the left of the steering wheel, and I gladly sat down. Next came Emmett who took a seat at the back, and then Jasper who took the seat next to me. We were each handed life jackets which I eagerly put on.

Charlie untied the boat from the dock, took a seat behind the wheel, leaving Harry to perch in a chair at the front of the boat. It didn't look safe to me at all, and I hoped like hell he didn't fall out.

Charlie started the engine, and I clutched the side of my seat as he took off. We drove out for a while until we reached a spot on the edge of the river. Fishing poles were handed out, and then I was handed a cup of worms. I wasn't a squeamish kind of guy, but I wasn't a big fan of worms.

Taking a worm, knowing that all eyes were on me, I slowly slid it onto the hook and looked to Charlie for approval. He shot me a thumbs up then stood up and came over to me.

The next fifteen minutes were spent with Charlie teaching me how to use a fishing pole. I'd never realized how complicated it was. I figured you baited it and tossed it in the water.

Finally, Charlie deemed me ready to begin. Carefully, I tossed my line out, smiling at Charlie's approval and sat down to wait. And wait. And wait. Fishing was a patient sport, and Emmett wasn't a patient dude.

Twenty minutes into fishing, Emmett was beginning to whine and complain. One look from Charlie pretty much shut him up. Jasper on the other hand, had pulled out a book and was reading while waiting for a tug on his line. I wished I'd thought to bring a book with. Instead, I sat listening to Charlie and Harry talk and it was hilarious. They talked about the one that got away and accused each other of lying about the biggest fish they'd caught.

I was so caught up listening to them talk, that I failed to notice the tugging on my line at first. As soon as I noticed, I grabbed my pole and hollered for Charlie.

"Reel it in nice and slow. That's it. Now tug the line back a bit. Not too much! There you go."

I felt like I was reeling it in forever until finally the line popped out of the water with an ugly ass fish on the end.

"Not bad, kid. Not bad," Charlie said with a slap to my shoulder. "You got yourself a flathead catfish."

Pictures were taking with me holding that damn thing, then it was weighed on a scale that was on the boat. It was determined small enough to keep, so Charlie helped me unhook it, and he threw it in one of the coolers.

Three hours later, we'd caught five fish between the five of us. Two of those catches had been mine, one Jasper's, and two Charlie's. Emmett and Harry hadn't caught anything, and Charlie told me it was because they were too impatient.

A little after eleven, we washed our hands off with sanitizer, ate the sandwiches that Harry's wife had made, then it was back to fishing. Emmett fell asleep soon after lunch and while it was tempting to bask in the sun, I had found that I actually enjoyed fishing.

We stayed out on the river until a little after five before calling it a day. As Charlie docked the boat, we all got out and Harry handed me the cooler of fish. In the end, we'd caught a total of eight fish.

The drive back was as quiet as the ride up had been. I was exhausted, and I wasn't sure if it was from being out on a boat in the sun all day or from fishing.

"Edward?" Charlie asked.

"Yes, sir?"

"Would it be okay with your dad if we stopped and fried these fish up in La Push. We'd have you back before too late."

"I'm sure it's fine. I'll send him a text."

A few minutes later, Carlisle got back to me saying it was fine.

"I guess I should have asked if you were okay with going to La Push," Charlie said with a laugh.

"It's cool with me."

"Good. The girls and Renee will meet us there."

An hour and a half later, we pulled up to a small house near the woods. A Native American woman came out and greeted all of us, introducing herself as Sue to me. I shook hands with her before I was introduced to her son, Seth, and her daughter, Leah. I didn't like the way Leah was looking at me. Thankfully, Bella pulled up with her mom a few minutes later and a sense of relief washed over me as she came to my side and gave me a hug.

"I see you've met Leah," she said in a whisper.

"Yeah. She doesn't look too friendly."

Bella let out a snort. "She's not. Stay away from her if you can."

Charlie called for me to help him, so I headed toward him, taking the cooler that he handed me and followed him to the backyard where a gutting station was set up.

Within minutes, I was up to my wrist in fish guts and scales. It was a gross, smelly task, but I didn't mind. Well, I didn't mind until the scaling knife slipped and nearly took off my thumb.

"Shit!"

Immediately, Charlie was there wrapping my hand in a towel. He led me into the kitchen where my thumb was scrubbed with soap and hot water, then doused in peroxide. _Fuck, that shit burned! _A bandage was applied, then I headed back out. Charlie wouldn't let me gut the fish anymore, but he did allow me to start the grill for him.

An hour later, we were all seated at two picnic tables pushed together that were straining under the weight of all the food placed on them.

I was sitting next to Bella and leaned over and placed a kiss on her cheek when Leah let her bitchy side out.

"You know, some of us are trying to eat. We don't want to watch you two slobber all over each other!"

"Leah!" a chorus of voices shouted.

"What? It's true."

"I apologize for my daughter's rudeness," Sue told me as I shook my head. She shouldn't be apologizing for Leah's behavior.

Bella must have been of the same mind because she said, "Don't. Leah's eighteen. She can take responsibility for her words and actions."

Sue looked at Bella. "You're right. I shouldn't have to apologize for my daughter, but I don't want Edward to think that we raised her to be rude."

"I don't think that at all," I told her, and it was true. Their son was a well-mannered kid.

By the time dinner was over, and I'd been dropped off at home, I was exhausted. It had to have been one of the longest days of my life. I literally collapsed on my bed, clothes and shoes on, and passed out.

I slept for a solid twelve hours before waking up at nine the next morning.

After showering and dressing, I headed downstairs and found Esme and Carlisle in a heated embrace. So not something that I wanted to see first thing in the morning, although I had a feeling that it was going to become a regular occurrence.

"How was your fishing trip?" Carlisle asked once he'd removed his lips from Esme's.

"Good. I actually caught a few. I had a better time than I'd thought I would," I told them as Esme slid a plate of pancakes in front of me.

"I'm glad you had a good time. Did Charlie interrogate you much?" he asked with a smirk.

"Surprisingly, no. I was worried at first, but Charlie's pretty cool."

"So, what are your plans today?" Esme asked once I'd finished eating.

I shrugged. "Homework most likely. I've got a history test on Tuesday that I needed to study for."

"Okay, well don't spend all day studying. We'll be moving a lot of my stuff in today."

"Do you need me to help? I can put off my homework for a few hours."

Esme shook her head. "No. Focus on your schooling first. If it gets too noisy just let us know."

I nodded before trudging back upstairs and tossing my bag onto my bed. I opened it up and got the books out that I needed.

Soon, I was immersed in history and math and English literature. Normally, I didn't mind English class as we were doing an independent study but the book I'd chosen to read was so freaking boring. _McTeague _by Frank Norris. I swear, it had to be the most boring book ever written. It was great if you wanted to know everything about dentistry, which I didn't. At all. Hopefully, the second half of the book would be better than the first.

I was just about to start the second half of the book when my phone beeped alerting me to a text. I smiled when I saw it was Bella.

_Whatcha doin?_ She asked.

_Homework and studying for that stupid history test._

We texted back and forth for twenty minutes or so before we said goodbye. I really needed to focus on my studying, and I spent hours memorizing facts that I probably wouldn't ever use.

A little after one, I took a break and headed downstairs to eat some lunch.

I'd had my music up so loud in my room, that I hadn't even heard Esme and Carlisle moving stuff in, but obviously they had. There were feminine touches throughout the kitchen along with some fancy looking cooking instruments that I wasn't about to touch.

I opened the fridge up and stared at the contents inside of it. Nothing appealed to me, and I decided to get some food from the diner to go.

I found Carlisle and Esme in his study, putting books away on a bookshelf.

"Hey, I'm gonna grab a burger from the diner. Do you all want anything?"

Twenty minutes later, I was bogged down with three burgers, three orders of fries and three chocolate milkshakes. I was terrified that I was going to spill one of them in my car.

I had two shakes stacked under my chin and placed the other one on the roof of my car, as I attempted to open the door.

"Need a hand?" Lauren's nasally voice asked from behind me.

"Nope, I'm good. Thanks though," I told her as I got the door opened.

I bent down and placed two of the shakes in the cup holders and heard a low moan behind me. Quickly, I tossed the bag of food into the passenger seat and reached out to grab the shake on the roof.

"Do you have plans tonight?" Lauren asked as I began to climb into the car.

"Yes," I told her, not bothering to elaborate. It was none of her business what I was doing or who I was with, and the fact that she was acting like she'd done nothing wrong really irritated me.

"Too bad," she said. "We could've had some fun."

I scoffed as I looked at. "What is wrong with you?" I asked.

"Excuse me?"

"Why do you think that I would do anything with you? We've been through this before. I'm not nor ever will be interested in you. I'm with Bella, and I don't plan on being with anyone else. Ever."

Lauren appeared taken back. "I figure you would've gotten bored with Bella by now."

"Well you thought wrong. Please don't bother me ever again. I mean it. I want nothing to do with you, Jessica, James, or any of your friends," I told her as I slammed my door shut and roared out of the parking lot.

I was still seething as I pulled into the drive. I just couldn't believe her gall! _Did she really think that I'd be over Bella and that I'd go out with her? _She was delusional.

"There you are. Did you get lost?" Carlisle asked as I brought the food into the kitchen.

"No. I just had a run-in with Lauren Mallory," I explained.

Esme scowled and wanted to know what Lauren had wanted. Over our lunch I told them what Lauren had said, and Esme couldn't believe it.

"She's an idiot. Just like her mother," she spat out.

After lunch, I headed back up to my room and finished the remainder of my homework. By the time, I was done with it all it was a little after four, and my head hurt.

"Edward! Bella's here!" Carlisle called up the stairs.

I took off down the stairs, almost falling down them in my haste to get to her. We hadn't made any plans for her to come over, but I was more than happy to see her. Especially after the whole Lauren experience.

Bella let out a laugh as I threw myself at her and buried my face in her hair.

"What in the world?" she asked, laughing even more when I refused to untangle myself from her.

"I had to deal with Lauren today," I mumbled against the side of her head.

"Poor baby," she said, pulling away to plant a light kiss on my lips.

"It was traumatizing," I told her.

"I'm sure it was."

We headed up to my room after being told to keep the door open. Even if the door was closed, it wasn't like I'd try to get it on with Bella while my dad and his fiance were in the house.

Once in my room, Bella flopped down on my bed, and I had to admit that she looked good there. Not that we were anywhere near ready to take that next step.

"_McTeague_? Any good?" she asked as she picked the book up.

I sat down next to her, before stretching up and propping myself up on my elbow. "No. It's boring as hell."

Her lips twitched as she tried not to laugh. "I told you it was boring."

"Yeah, yeah," I said because she had indeed warned me about it.

"You need to learn to listen to your girlfriend," she said, poking me in the stomach.

"Just agree with whatever she has to say," Carlisle suggested as he walked by my room. "It'll save you a lot of trouble in the end."

"Thanks, Dad."

Bella was nodding. "He's a smart man, your dad."

I rolled my eyes before I pounced on her, digging my fingers into her sides and tickling her.

"No! St—stop!" she hollered out between bouts of laughter.

It wasn't until she told me she was going to wet her pants that I finally stopped.

Seeing as how I was leaning over her, I couldn't resist placing a kiss on her lips. I had meant it to be a chaste, quick kiss, but it soon escalated into something more. I didn't want to stop but knew we had to. Footsteps on the stairs had me scooting toward the edge of the bed.

"Bella? Did you want to stay for dinner?" Esme asked, peaking her head in the room.

"That would be great! Mom was going on about some new asparagus, peach, and tuna casserole recipe that she found online," she said with a shudder.

Esme and I grimaced at the mere thought of being fed something like that.

"Well, anytime you need to come over here for a non-experimental dinner, you can," Esme said with a smile.

"I just might take you up on that if wasn't for the fact that it would hurt Mom's feelings. She tries her best to cook, but she tends to lean toward the unusual."

After a quick phone call to her parents, Bella was cleared to eat dinner with us.

Dinner consisted of the most delicious beef stew that I'd ever eaten. Having Esme around was going to be fantastic. No more take out or Carlisle's attempts at dinner. He wasn't as bad as Renee, but he tended to burn things.

* * *

Monday morning was off to a crappy start. I'd woken up late, gotten a flat tire and had to change it myself (which took far longer than I thought it would and left me covered in grease), and crashed into some lockers when I slipped on the wet floor.

I thought for sure that things would get better as my day went, but I was wrong. It only got worse.

James was back, and he'd let it be known that he was out for blood. Specifically, my blood. To be honest, I was a bit worried and more than a little on edge. I spent as little time as possible in the hallways and when I was in them, I was on constant alert. It didn't hurt that Emmett and Jasper were by my side when they could be.

By lunch, I had been heckled a few times by some of James' cronies and warned to watch my back.

"Rough day?" Rose asked as I sat down at our table.

"You could say that. It's been a Monday for sure," I responded.

"Well, hopefully it gets better," Bella said, placing a kiss on my cheek.

I hoped that she was right, but she hadn't been. At one point, I'd had to go to the bathroom and while in there, I'd been shoved into the sink and threatened with bodily harm by Alec. I didn't react which had pissed him off.

"Want to come over and hang out?" Jasper asked as we all walked out to the parking lot once school was over.

"I can't. I told Carlisle and Esme I'd help them get the rest of Esme's stuff moved in."

Because I'd been late getting to school, I'd had to park in the back of the lot, away from anyone else. I waved goodbye to the Swan/Hale clan and made my way to the Volvo.

If I'd been smart, I would've been paying attention to my surroundings and noticed James lurking nearby, but I didn't.

I got into my car and started for home, not noticing the car that was tailing me until it was too late.

I was busy rocking out with Papa Roach when someone hit the back of my car, causing me to jerk forward. I gripped the steering wheel and applied my brakes, but the person behind me kept coming and once again my car was shoved forward, tires squealing.

Letting go of the steering wheel with one hand, I fumbled for my phone and managed to dial 911.

As soon as the operator answered, I explained that someone was trying to run me off the road. I described the car behind me, but I really couldn't give her much information. All I knew was that it was a black car, and it wanted me out of it's way.

Another slam of the other car into mine had me dropping the phone on the floor and swearing up a storm. That time, however, the car didn't back off like before. Instead, it stayed on my bumper and pushed my car off the road and into a ditch.

I could hear the operator asking if I was okay, and I shouted no. Of course, I wasn't okay. Someone was trying to kill me!

Once I was off the road, the car drove by, and I swore I saw James behind the wheel.

With shaking hands, I put the car in park and grabbed the phone off the floor. I explained to the operator that I was in a ditch and physically unharmed.

It wasn't more than ten minutes later that Charlie showed up in his police cruiser. Within seconds of pulling up, he was out of his car and at my door.

"Edward? Are you okay, son?" he asked after he opened up my door.

I nodded although my heart was racing, and I felt a bit faint. Now that the ordeal was over, my body was starting to process what had happened. I got out off the car on shaky legs and had to lean against it for a moment.

Understanding that I needed a moment, Charlie got out a camera and began taking pictures of the back of my car.

Feeling a bit more steady, I walked toward the back of the car and gasped at what I saw. My bumper had several dents and scratches along with black paint transfer.

"Who the hell would do this?" I heard Charlie mutter.

"James," I blurted out. "I swear I saw James driving the car."

Charlie nodded. "I'll look into it. Let's get you home. Can you drive?"

I nodded, feeling relieved when he said he'd escort me home. As soon as I pulled into my drive, Charlie parked and had me give him a statement.

"Call Bells and let her know what happened. If she hears it from me and not you, it won't be pretty," he warned me.

I nodded.

"But first, call your dad. He needs to be aware of what happened. Talk to your insurance as well and let them know that it's an ongoing investigation."

I walked inside the house and collapsed on the couch, letting the tears that I'd been holding back come out. I hated to cry, and I angrily wiped the tears away.

"Edward! What's wrong?" Esme asked, appearing in the room.

I hadn't realized that she was home, and I quickly wiped my face.

I explained everything that had happened that day, and she wrapped me up in a motherly hug. I leaned into and realized how much I'd missed being hugged by a mom. It sounded girly, but I didn't care.

I finally pulled away from Esme, and she called Carlisle. She told him that I'd been run off the road, and I could hear the worry in his voice as he demanded to know if I was hurt. She assured him that I was fine physically.

After I talked to Carlisle, I headed up to my room and called Bella. Needless to say, she was beyond furious that I'd been run off the road, and I felt awful when she started to cry.

"Please, don't cry, Bella."

"You could've been killed! Or seriously hurt! I'll cry if I want to!"

We talked for hours until exhaustion set in, and I could barely keep my eyes open.

I hung up the phone and changed into my pjs. All I wanted to do was crawl into bed and forget that today had ever happened. I had just gotten under the covers when Carlisle knocked on the door and poked his head in.

"Hey, son," he said coming into my room.

"Hey."

"How are you?"

"Tired. Pissed. Scared. Take your pick."

He ran a hand through his hair, and I noticed that he looked exhausted as well.

"I swear I aged 50 years when Esme called and said you'd been run off the road. Jesus, Edward! You could've been seriously hurt!"

"Believe me, I know," I told him.

"I talked to Charlie, and he promised to keep us informed. I'll let you get to bed, but I wanted to tell you how glad I am that you're okay and that I love you."

"Love you, too, Dad."

I was a bit surprised when he gave me a hug and kissed the top of my head. I don't think he'd done that since I was five or six. I hugged him back, feeling a bit awkward.

I slept horribly that night, my sleep plagued with dreams of James laughing as he killed me over and over.

At around four, I gave up sleeping, and turned on my TV to watch mindless shows. At some point, I must have drifted off because I was awoken the next morning by Esme. She told me that Carlisle had called the school and told them I was sick.

As soon as she left my room, I rolled over and fell into a deep, well needed sleep.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Thank you for reading and reviewing! I love hearing what you all have to say. A happy and safe 4th of July for my stateside friends.**

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**BPOV**

I was lying on my bed, reading a book and scrolling through my MP3 player trying to find something to listen to. Nothing seemed very appealing, so I stuck the stupid thing on shuffle and what did it do? It played all the songs I couldn't stand. Huffing, I turned the stupid thing off and tossed it on my nightstand.

I was so freaking bored. My book didn't hold my attention, I'd finished my homework, and I had the night off from the diner. Sighing, I headed down the hall and threw myself on the couch, stealing the remote from Jasper.

"Hey!"

"What? It's not like you're watching anything," I retorted.

Scowling, he crossed his arms over his chest, but he didn't move from the couch.

I flipped through the channels aimlessly finally settling on some stupid show about beavers.

"Really, Bells?"

I shrugged. "There's nothing else."

We sat in silence, learning about the mating habit of beavers when Emmett came into the room and tossed me my phone.

"Ed's calling for you."

Immediately, I answered the phone.

"Hey!" I said, happy to hear from him, and I headed toward my room not wanting two nosy brothers listening in.

"Hey," he said and immediately I knew something was wrong.

"What's wrong?"

"I got run off the road on the way home," he said, and I let out a gasp, feeling anger and fear swelling up inside me. Just the thought of him being hurt or killed destroyed me, and I let out a small sob.

"Please, don't cry, Bella," I heard him beg.

"You could've been killed or seriously hurt! I'll cry if I want to!" I snapped, wiping at the tears with the back of my hand.

"Please, Bella," he begged again. "It's breaking my heart to hear you crying."

The boy was too sweet. Sniffling, I did my best to quell the tears and after taking a deep breath, I felt a bit calmer.

"What happened?" I asked.

He proceeded to tell me that he was fairly certain that James had run him off the road, how scared he'd been, and how glad he'd been to see Dad. My dad had always been my hero, but even more so now.

Once we got done talking, I felt like I was the one who'd been run off the road. I was so upset and furious with James. I realize that we didn't have proof that it was him, but I had no doubt that Edward was right. It would be just like James to go after the people I love. _Freaking bastard was going to pay! _I didn't know how, but he was. I'd make sure of it.

I was trying to calm myself down when I heard the front door open and Dad greeted Mom. I rushed out of my room toward him.

"Dad!" I cried out as I threw myself at him.

"Hey, kiddo!" he said, wrapping his arms around me.

I leaned into him, inhaling the wonderful scent of the Old Spice cologne that he wore.

"Is Edward really okay?" I asked him, my voice muffled by his shirt.

"Physically, he's fine. He was pretty shook up though," Dad told me.

"What happened to Edward?" Mom asked.

Soon, the whole family was seated in the living room while Dad explained what had happened. The whole family was horrified that someone had tried to run Edward off the road.

"Was it really James?" I asked.

Dad's face darkened. He'd done his best to have James removed from Forks High, sadly his best hadn't been enough.

"We don't know for sure, but James is definitely a suspect. He drives the same kind of vehicle that hit Edward's, plus James has motive. Mark and I will be going out to the Trakker place tomorrow."

Mark was one of Dad's deputies. I used to have the biggest crush on him and would blush anytime he talked to me. I was glad to say that that was no longer the case.

"Well, be careful, Charlie. You know how unstable that James boy can be," Mom said, a frown on her face.

"I will be, 'Nee. That's why I'm taking Mark with me. I'm not looking forward to dealing with the Trakkers again," Dad said, running a hand over his face.

The last time he'd dealt with the Trakkers was after James had attacked me and from what I understood, things had gotten pretty heated. I had a feeling that James' parents were going to claim that Dad was biased and just out to get their son.

* * *

I woke up early the next morning anxious to see my Edward. I knew that both he and Dad had said he was fine, but I wanted to see Edward for myself just to make sure.

However, I was disappointed when we pulled into the lot and there was no sign of Edward's car.

"Where is he?" I asked.

The others shook their heads.

"Maybe he's running late?" Emmett suggested as we walked in the building.

I frowned, but it was possible. Edward had almost been late yesterday.

Pulling out my phone, I shot him off a quick text but worry set in when I didn't hear back.

"C'mon, Bells. I'm sure Ed's fine. If you don't see or hear from him by second period, then you can worry," Em said, dragging me down the hall to my locker.

First and second period went by with no show or text from Edward. I was completely freaking out, thinking that he'd been hurt and hadn't known it and was now lying in his bed suffering a concussion and slowly dying.

Right as I was about to have a complete meltdown, Jasper suggested I try calling his house to see if anyone was home. So, that's what I did.

"Cullen residence, Esme speaking."

"Esme? It's Bella. I was wondering if Edward was okay? I haven't seen or heard from him today," I rambled out.

"Oh, Bella sweetie! He's fine. I promise. Carlisle called him in sick today, so that he could have a day to recover from the terror that boy inflicted on him."

My body sagged with relief.

"He probably didn't mean not to return your text. He woke up but went back to sleep after I told him that he had the day off."

"Thanks, Esme," I told her.

"Of course. I'll tell him to call you when he wakes up."

I thanked her again, then headed to class, letting my siblings know that Edward was fine.

It was at lunch that it occurred to me that James wasn't in school either. Normally, the asshole would be strutting around, but he was nowhere to be found. I wondered if he was on the run or something.

"Notice that James isn't here today?" I asked my siblings.

"Yeah, I noticed that," Jasper said. "Seems a bit suspicious if you ask me."

We spent lunch pondering James' whereabouts and how Dad's talk with the Trakkers had gone.

Right as lunch was ending, my phone beeped ,and I saw that I had a text from Edward.

_Sorry, I missed your text. Was sleeping, _he wrote.

_It's okay. I was a bit worried when you didn't show this morning._

We texted each other right up until class started, and I had to endure Biology alone.

The second that school let out, I headed toward the Cullen's. I had to see Edward. I'd barely knocked on the door when it was thrown open and a gorgeous, if not tired looking Edward, swept me into his arms.

I hugged him tight, blinking back the tears that wanted to fall. I'd cried enough yesterday. Today, I was a tough girl, and I wasn't going to cry. Although, my resolve wavered a bit when he buried his face in my hair, and I heard his breath hitch. If Edward started to cry, it was going to be all over. I didn't handle guys crying very well.

Eventually, Edward pulled away and walked hand in hand with me into the living room.

We sat down on the couch, our hands tightly clasped. I never wanted to let him go. At one point, I let go of him to get my bag and gave him the assignments for the few classes we had together. I didn't want him falling behind in schoolwork.

We snuggled together, hugging and kissing until it was time for me to head to work. Reluctantly, I pulled myself away from the wonderfully, delicious kisses that were being shared and stood up.

"You'll be in school tomorrow, right?" I asked.

He nodded.

"Good. I miss seeing your gorgeous face in the morning," I told him as he walked me outside to my car.

"I missed seeing yours as well. Have fun at work. Make lots of money, so you can take me out on a date," he said with a cheeky smirk.

I smacked him on the chest before he grabbed my hand and placed a kiss on the palm of my hand. Cue swoon. Boy was too freaking sweet. I kissed him goodbye and climbed into my truck.

* * *

I was greeted at the door of Emmett's Jeep by a rumpled, adorable Edward. He swept me up in a soul-searing kiss that left me dazed and confused for a few minutes.

"Well, good morning to you too," I said when I could speak and think again.

"Now, Ed, I like you and all, but I so don't want to see you making out with my baby sister," Emmett said, clapping Edward on the shoulder.

I whirled around and gave Em a glare. "Oh, don't even start. I have to watch you and Rose make out and grope each other all the time. And don't even try and say that it's different!"

Rose grinned and told Emmett I was right.

School was so much more enjoyable when I had Edward by my side. We noticed that James wasn't in school again, and I felt a bit more relaxed knowing that Edward didn't have to watch his back. I was wrong. James might not have been in school, but Alec was. He and the rest of their cronies did their best to bother Edward. Thankfully, my brothers were there to put a stop to it.

Dad sent me a text at lunch asking if I'd bring Edward home with me. Like I would say no to that? I asked Edward and he said he'd come over. When I asked Dad why, he said he had some information regarding James. Dad also informed me that Dr. Cullen and Esme would be coming over as well.

I admit, I as a bit worried to hear what Dad had learned, and I could tell Edward was nervous as well.

The ride home was a bit tense, and it served to only make me more nervous. Edward's hand was grasped tightly in mine, and every so often he'd twitch or bounce his leg up and down.

"It'll be fine," I told him, trying to convince us both that things were fine.

"I know," he said, giving me a small smile, but it didn't reach his eyes.

By the time Emmett pulled his Jeep into the drive, Edward and I were a wreck. We tried to keep a calm outward appearance, but I wasn't sure we were pulling it off.

A few minutes after we pulled in, Dr. Cullen's Mercedes pulled in behind the Jeep.

"Hey, kids!" they said as they got out.

We gave them half-hearted waves, then we all walked into the house together.

We found Mom and Dad in the living room sitting on the recliner. Or more accurately, Mom was sitting on Dad's lap. I moaned in embarrassment. Don't get me wrong. I loved that my parents were still so in love after all this time, but sometimes I didn't want to see it.

"Ahem," Emmett said clearing his throat.

My parents looked up, neither one looking embarrassed at all. Dad set Mom aside and stood up to shake Dr. Cullen's hand and to introduce himself to Esme. Once the greetings and introductions were done, we all took a seat.

"As you know, I took some pictures of the damage to Edward's car and the damage done to it. There was some obvious paint transfer belonging to a black car. This morning, Mark and I headed out to the Trakker's house," Dad began, leaning forward.

"The first thing we noticed was a black Buick in the drive with some damage to the front end. Damage consistent with ramming into another vehicle. Mark wrote down the plates and went to run them while I knocked on the door."

I had a feeling I wasn't going to like what Dad had to say next.

"Alan Trakker, Jame's father, answered the door, and I can tell you he wasn't pleased to see me. To make a long story short, I told him that James was a suspect in a hit and run, and Trakker told me where I could shove my suspicions."

Dad took a deep breath before continuing. "I asked to speak to James and was told he was at school, which I knew wasn't true since I'd called the school and asked to speak to him. When I told Trakker that James wasn't at school, he got confrontational. He took a swing at me and is now sitting in a cell at the station. James, however, is in the wind. His parents refuse to tell me where he is, so I want you all to be extra careful. And I want you to promise to call me if you see him or think you do, okay?"

We all nodded.

"All right. Well, I'll keep you informed with what I learn," he said, basically dismissing us.

Grabbing Edward's hand, I led him to my room while our parents and Esme continued to talk.

As we entered my room, I made sure to leave the door open. I knew that I'd get hell if I closed it with Edward in my room.

I pulled him down onto my bed with me and laced my fingers through his as I took a good look at him. He looked mad, and I didn't blame him. I was mad too. It's not like I expected Dad to arrest James right away—okay, yes I did. My dad was my hero. He could do anything, and I had complete faith that he would catch James and arrest him. It sucked though, that it was apparently going to take a while.

"Dad will get him," I said, squeezing his hand.

"I know," Edward said, giving me a small smile. "I'll just live in fear until that happens."

"Hey! Don't say that. Don't let James get the best of you!" I said fiercely.

Edward let out a sigh then he told me that he'd try. That was all I could really ask for, so I placed a chaste kiss on his lips right as a coughing at the doorway interrupted us. Heaving a sigh, I turned my head and saw Dad in the doorway.

Immediately, Edward turned red, and I knew that Dad had probably interrupted us on purpose.

"Edward, son? Carlisle and Esme are leaving. You're more than welcome to stay if you'd like. Bell's has work in a couple of hours, but I'm sure the other kids wouldn't object to you hanging out."

"Thanks, Chie—Charlie," he said. "I'd like to stay a while."

"Just an FYI. 'Nee's cooking some strange noodle concoction for dinner," Dad said with a wicked grin.

Edward barely contained a groan, and I laughed at the look on his face.

"Enjoy dinner," I said, right as his strong fingers reached out and began to tickle me.

"St—stop!" I screeched out between laughs, but he was relentless.

It wasn't until I started screaming for help and the boys showed up that Edward finally relented. I was a red-faced, tear streaked mess, but I couldn't contain the silly grin that was on my face.

"Go away," I told Edward. "I've got to get ready for work."

He pouted until I placed a kiss on his lips and shoved him out the door.

Checking the time, I quickly changed my clothes, and threw my hair up into a neat bun before slipping on a pair of shoes. I put on a dab of lip gloss, shoved it into my pocket and headed down the hall.

"I'll see you guys later," I said, not wanting to interrupt the battle that was being fought on the screen.

Edward tossed his controller to Jasper, got up, and walked me out to my truck. He opened my truck door, then leaned in for a kiss, smacking his lips together when he tasted the strawberry flavor of my lip gloss.

"Have a good night at work and don't forget to make lots of tips," he said with a grin.

I rolled my eyes. "I know, I know. I've got to make money so I can take you out on a proper date. But don't even begin to think that you are going to be a kept man. I refuse to be your sugar mama."

He stuck his lower lip out in a pout, and I couldn't help but lean over and nip it. Of course, that led to a hot and steamy kiss that I eventually broke only because I needed to breathe.

"You should go before you're late," Edward said.

"I suppose so. Enjoy your evening, especially Mom's cooking," I said with a snicker.

"Yeah, yeah."

He leaned down and placed a quick kiss on my lips before closing my door and waving as I backed down the drive.

Work was relatively easy and quiet until Jessica, Mike, Tyler, and Eric showed up. They took a booth in my section probably to irritate me. However, I was in a pretty good mood (being with Edward did that to me) and I wasn't about to let them ruin it.

"Hey. How's it going?" I asked as I approached their table and handed them some menus.

"Good, good," Mike said.

Thankfully, the group was pleasant enough, and I didn't have any problems with them. They didn't tip worth crap, but I didn't expect them to. Teenagers were notorious for being horrible tippers. The only folks that really seemed to tip well at the diner were the old men. I had no idea why that was but seeing as how I tended to wait on a bunch of them, I wasn't complaining.

A little after nine, Mrs. Stanley and I closed up and walked out to the parking lot with Embry. It was something that Mrs. Stanley insisted on. A few years back one of her waitresses had been assaulted by some guy in the parking lot. I sure wasn't complaining. I definitely felt safe having Embry walk out with us. He was one big ass dude.

I waved goodnight to both of them and climbed into my truck, locking the doors once inside. I started the engine and pulled out the lot, my head-beams sweeping over the lot. I noticed a dark car with its lights off and its engine running, parked near the curb. The front end of the car had some damage to it, and I felt a shiver run through me.

Immediately, I pulled my phone out and called Dad.

"What's wrong, Bells?" he asked upon answering.

"I think I saw James' car parked near the diner."

I quickly explained what I'd seen while driving and trying to keep an eye on the road behind me.

"I'll send Mark out toward you," he told me.

Hanging up, I gripped the steering wheel tighter, terrified that James was going to try and ram into my car like he'd done Edwards.

As soon as I pulled into my drive, I let out a huge sigh of relief. I'd never been so happy to be home. Dad and Edward were waiting for me, and Edward opened my door to help me out. Only, I couldn't seem to let the steering wheel go. I had a death grip on the damn thing.

"Hey, it's okay. You're home safe," Edward told me, slowly prying my hands off the wheel and squeezing them in his warm hands.

I nodded. "I know I'm overreacting."

I saw Dad shake his head. "You're being cautious, and I'm very glad for that. Let's get you inside. Your mother left you a plate of casserole," he told me with a twinkle in his eye.

I turned to Edward as he closed the door of my truck. "How bad was it?"

His grimace said it all.

"You know, you didn't have to stay for dinner. You could have left and gone home. No one would have blamed you," I told him.

Edward almost looked shocked that I'd suggest such a thing.

"I couldn't have done that after I'd said I was staying. That would've been rude. Besides, I like hanging out here."

Edward and I ended up curling up on the couch with my brothers sprawled on the floor as we watched some stupid zombie movie. By the time it was over, it was almost eleven, and we all needed to head to bed.

I walked Edward out to his car, it was only fair since he walked me out to mine all the time. I even opened his door for him.

"Did you make enough to take me out?" he asked as he slid behind the wheel.

"I did. How about a fancy dinner in Port Angeles this weekend?"

"Sounds fantastic. What time are you picking me up?" he asked.

I snickered. "Seven. Will you be wearing a dress as well?"

He let out a laugh that caused me to tingle. "Hardly. I don't think I'd fill out a dress quite the way you do."

"How do you know? Have you tried?" I asked, giggling at the mental picture that I got.

"No and don't even think about asking me to try on a dress. It's not happening. Ever!"

Giggling, I placed a kiss on his lips and my giggles soon turned to moans. His lips and tongue should be illegal. It amazed me how easily Edward could reduce me to a melted puddle of goo.

"Goodnight," he murmured against my lips.

"Goodnight," I replied, removing my lips from his.

I watched carefully as he pulled out the drive and sent him a text telling him to text me when he got home.

Fifteen minutes later, I got a message saying he was safely home and about to head to bed. I needed to do the same. Six am always came too early. Once I was snuggled under my covers, my thoughts drifted to Edward like they always did. Homecoming would be coming up soon, and while I wasn't one for dances, I really hoped that he'd ask me. Although, if he didn't, I could always ask him. After all, I was taking him out on a date on Friday.

* * *

**a/n: As always, I'd love to hear what you thought!**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: So, after re-writing this chapter three times, it's finally done. I'm not completely satisfied with it, but it is what it is.**

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**EPOV**

I'd been extremely upset and a bit distraught that Bella had seen James' car near the diner. It caused all sorts of what-if scenarios to run through my head, and I feared that he was going to do something to her to get back at me. I certainly wouldn't put it past him.

However, by the time Friday had rolled around, James had gone M.I.A. His parents had told Charlie that James was out of town visiting relatives, but none of us bought it. Seemed a bit too convenient, plus James' car was gone as well. But, I had I felt a bit of relief when I realized James wasn't in school. Not that that stopped his friend, Alec, from trying to make my life miserable. Thankfully, the Swans guarded me well.

"Edward! Don't you need to leave if you're picking up Bella?" Esme called through my door.

_Crap! _Looking at the clock, I realized she was right.

I'd begged Bella to let me pick her up and take her home on Fridays. I'd wanted to do it everyday, but she told me no. Bella said it was stupid of me to waste gas when she was perfectly capable of carpooling with her siblings. We'd finally compromised. I was allowed to get her on Fridays and only Fridays unless I was willing to trade-off carpooling with the others. I was fine with that, so it was decided that we'd sit down over the weekend and figure out a carpooling schedule that way everyone saved a bit of gas.

While money wasn't an object for me, something I was still slightly uncomfortable about, the Swan kids worked hard for their money. I hoped that Bella wasn't going to spend a lot of money on me for our date. I had nothing against her paying, well … okay, it bothered me slightly, but I didn't want her to go broke paying for a nice dinner. She worked too hard for her money, dealing with bitchy teenage girls and cranky old men. I mean, it wasn't like she hadn't taken me out before, but I really didn't want her to go overboard with the spending.

After the quickest shower known to man, I threw on a pair of faded jeans, a t-shirt, and a hoodie. I shoved my feet into my shoes, said goodbye to Esme and Carlisle, and ran out the door. Two minutes later, I ran back in to grab my backpack and wallet. I had no idea why I was so scattered brained.

I pulled into the Swan's drive, got out, and rang their doorbell. I was greeted by Renee, handed some strange muffin looking thing, and then hugged and kissed by Bella.

Once in my car, I looked at the muffin thing in my hand.

"Is it safe to eat?" I asked before backing out of the drive.

"Uh …" Bella trailed off.

Feeling slightly brave, I brought the muffin to my mouth and took a small bite. Immediately, I wished that I hadn't. It was positively disgusting.

Stopped at a red light, I spit what bits were still in my mouth into a napkin while Bella giggled beside me.

"That was horrible!"

"Yeah, Mom attempted to make an orange, egg, and bacon muffin."

A look of horror crossed my face. No wonder it had tasted so foul.

"Word to the wise, Edward. Don't eat whatever my mother gives you," she said with a grin.

"How in the world have you managed to survive?" I asked.

"Dad, and takeout. Lots and lots of takeout."

I shook my head. Although, before Esme had moved in with us, Carlisle and I had eaten a lot of takeout as well. My mom, on the other hand, was a fantastic cook. I really missed her cooking, especially her lasagna. Oh, man, she made the world's best lasagna.

"What are you thinking about?" Bella asked, pulling me out of my memories.

"My mom's lasagna."

"How is your mom?" she asked.

I shrugged. "I haven't heard from her in forever. I sent her an email after you agreed to be my girl, but I haven't heard back. I've left a few voicemails as well, but I guess she's busy," I told her.

Bella frowned. "How can she be too busy to respond to her son?"

"I don't know," I said as I pulled into the school parking lot.

The day dragged by as Fridays tended to do. I felt as if the day would never end, and when it finally did, I grabbed Bella and practically dragged her out the door. I needed some one on one time with my girl.

We'd hung out a few times during the week once she got off work, but we were always surrounded by either her family or mine. But tonight, we would finally have some us time. Sort of.

I pulled into the Swan's drive, and got out, opening Bella's door. I walked with her hand in hand up to the door and gave her a kiss goodbye.

"You're not going to come in?" she asked, a frown forming on her face.

I ran a finger down her cheek. "I've got a big date to get ready for, or did you forget?"

She gave me a beautiful smile. "I haven't forgotten, but do you really need two and half hours to get ready?"

I shrugged. "Maybe."

"Fine. I'll see you at six, and you'd better be ready," she warned, before leaning up on tiptoes and giving me a gentle kiss.

"See you in a bit," I told her.

I got home and saw that Esme's car was in the drive. Somedays she worked at her office in Port Angeles, but more often than not, she tended to work from the home office. I didn't mind. It was kind of nice having someone there when I got home.

"How was school?" Esme asked as I walked into the living room and flopped down on the couch.

"Pretty good."

"Any plans for the evening?"

"Got a hot date with Bella," I said with a grin.

I was going to say more, but at that moment my phone rang. I pulled it out and saw that it was my mom. I excused myself, grabbed my bag, and answered my phone on my way to my room.

"Hi, Mom!"

"Edward! I'm so sorry, I haven't gotten back to you! I was busy traveling with Eleazar."

"It's okay," I lied.

"So tell me about this Bella girl you're dating."

I spent the next thirty minutes telling Mom about Bella and her family.

"Well, she sounds like a lovely girl."

"She is," I said.

Mom was busy telling me about her travels with Eleazar when Esme knocked on my door.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Edward. I'll come back," she said in a whisper.

"Who was that?" Mom asked, having apparently heard Esme.

"Esme, Dad's fiance."

"What?!" Mom screeched causing me to pull the phone away from my ear.

"Uh … dad's getting married sometime," I said, not understanding why Mom was so upset. It wasn't like she hadn't moved on.

"Hmph. Well, he'd better watch himself. She's probably a gold digger."

"Mom!" I yelled into the phone. "Esme's not like that at all. She owns a very successful interior design business."

"I see," she said in a cold voice.

I had no idea what she saw, so I didn't say anything.

"Well, if she thinks she can replace me as your mother, she's wrong."

I stared at my phone. It was like my mother had been taken over by an alien.

"Mom, she would never do that. That's not the kind of person Esme is. It's not like Dad thinks that Eleazar is going to replace him as my father."

"I can't deal with this right now. I have to go," Mom said before hanging up.

I was completely floored and at a loss as to what had just happened.

"Everything okay?" Esme asked from the doorway.

"I have no idea," I told her.

She came in and sat on the edge of my bed. "Did you want to talk about it?"

"Moms's upset that Carlisle's engaged to you and getting married. I guess she's afraid that you're going to replace her. I don't really understand it. I mean, they've been divorced forever, and she's remarried anyway."

Esme was quiet for a moment as she thought about what I'd said.

"It sounds like she's scared that you'll forget about her."

I let out a harsh laugh. "She's the one who's forgotten about me. She's been too busy traveling with Eleazar to call or email me."

"You're going to visit her for Christmas, correct?" Esme asked.

I nodded, although I was thinking about not going.

"I think that you need to sit down with your mom and tell her how you're feeling. It's best to talk these things out before they fester and blow up."

She was right. I leaned over and gave Esme a hug, which I think surprised her. She hugged me back before murmuring that she would never try and take my mother's place.

"I know that," I assured her.

"Now, don't you have a date to get ready for?" she asked, as she pulled away.

After Esme left my room, I hopped in the shower, then got dressed. I threw on a nice pair of dark jeans, a long sleeved button down shirt and a sweater. I wasted about ten minutes attempting to fix my hair before giving up. There was no point. It was going to do what it wanted.

I slipped my feet into a nice pair of loafers and deemed myself ready.

I headed downstairs and asked Esme if I passed inspection. I remembered the last time I had gotten ready for a date with Bella, Esme had made me change.

"You look lovely," she told me.

I made a face. _What guy wanted to look lovely?_

Realizing that I still had about an hour before Bella showed up, I sat down and picked up the book that I'd been re-reading, _The Hobbit_. It was one of my favorite books, and I quickly lost myself in Bilbo's adventures.

At six on the dot, the doorbell rang, and I ran to answer it. I threw the door open and found Bella on the porch holding out a bouquet of flowers for me. Laughter bubbled out of my throat as I took the flowers from her and let her in.

"I figured I'd make this a proper date by bringing you flowers," she told me before I leaned down to kiss her.

She returned my kiss, but we were interrupted by Esme.

"Oh, what beautiful flowers," she said, taking the bouquet from my hands. "Let's put these in some water."

"I can't believe you brought me flowers," I told Bella with a grin.

She returned the grin. "Where's your dress?"

"Ha, ha. So, where are you taking me?"

She gave me a brilliant smile. "You'll find out eventually. Esme, I'll have him home by midnight."

Esme laughed and shooed us out the door.

We walked out to her truck, and I couldn't contain my laughter as she held my door open for me. She closed it, then walked to the driver's side and climbed in. I'd never admit it to her, but I was terrified of riding in her truck. I didn't think the thing had ever been new, and it made all kinds of strange noises as she drove.

I was pretty quiet as we started our drive, and Bella noticed right away.

"You seem a bit off tonight," she commented as we pulled onto the road heading toward Port Angeles.

"My mom called me earlier."

"Did it not go well?" she asked, glancing over at me.

"It was fine at first. I told her all about you, and she seemed pleased that I'd found such a great girl," I told her, reaching out to take her hand. She put her tiny one in mine and gave my hand a squeeze. "Then Esme knocked on the door not realizing I was still on the phone. Mom heard her and asked who it was and I told her that it was Carlisle's fiance. That did not go over well at all. She got all pissy and accused Esme of being a gold digger!"

Bella gave my hand a gentle squeeze.

"I set her straight on that, and then she went off on how Esme better not think she could replace her as my mother. Then she hung up. It was—it was very strange. Esme said that Mom is probably scared that she's going to lose me or something."

"Esme's probably right."

"Yeah, anyway … I don't want to talk about it anymore. I don't want to put a damper on our evening. So, where are we going again?"

Bella snickered. "Nice try, Cullen. You'll just have to wait and see."

"Are we going to the arcade again?"

"No, but the family wants to go on Sunday if you want to come with?"

"Of course. Like I'd say no to spending the day with my girl."

I watched as we drove through Port Angeles, wondering where she was taking me. Not that I really cared. All that mattered was that I was spending time with her.

A little over an hour later, we passed a sign welcoming us to Olympia. I turned to look at her. I'd had no idea we were going so far away.

Minutes later we pulled into the parking lot of a Japanese restaurant.

"Come on," she said as she climbed out.

I got out and took her hand, walking inside. It was one of those restaurants where you sat at a large table with a bunch of other people, and a chef prepared your food right there in front of you.

"Is this okay?" she asked, worrying her bottom lip.

I pulled her lip away from her teeth and told her it was perfect.

"I've never been to one of these restaurants before. This is cool."

We were soon seated at a table with an older couple, and a pair of twin guys who looked to be in their twenties. The twins were seated across from us ,but I didn't like the looks they were giving Bella.

I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, while we looked over a menu, effectively marking my territory.

"What looks good?" I asked her, playing with a strand of her hair that had escaped the fancy bun she'd put it in.

"I'm not sure. I'm leaning toward the hibachi steak dinner. What about you?"

"Uh ..." I said, trying not to wince at the prices. Each meal was roughly eighteen bucks. I hated that she was about to shell out so much money when she worked so hard for it, but I also knew better than to argue with her.

"The hibachi salmon looks pretty good. I'll go with that."

We placed our order and made small talk with the elderly couple sitting near us. Soon, the chef began to do all kinds of crazy tricks as he began cooking. He was flipping his spatula, tossing ingredients in the air, and putting on heck of a show. It was pretty freaking cool, and the food was pretty fantastic.

We shared bits of our food, and I could hear the guys across from us making snide comments. I did my best to ignore them. After all, I was the one on date with a hot girl.

After dinner, Bella paid the bill, and we headed out to her truck.

"Do you think your dad would let you stay a bit later? I didn't calculate on dinner taking so long."

I pulled out my phone and gave Carlisle a call. He told me it was fine as long as I wasn't out past two.

"Awesome. There's this really cool black light mini-golf place that I wanted to go to."

"Sweet!" I told her. I was a horrible golfer, but it was mini-golf so who cared.

We spent the next hour and half playing black light golf at a place called Shankz. It was possibly the coolest mini-golf course I'd ever played on. It was all indoors and we were give 3D glasses.

"That was awesome!" Bella said, throwing her arms around me as we left.

"It was. We'll have to do this again," I said, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

"We totally should. I'd suggest bringing the family, but Emmett isn't allowed to play mini-golf. Dad has banned him from it," she told me as we got in the truck and started the drive home.

A quick glance at the clock told me it was after eleven, so we'd get home a little after one.

"Do I dare ask why Emmett isn't allowed to play golf?"

Bella let out a laugh. "A few years ago, we went on vacation to Myrtle Beach in South Carolina. They have tons of mini-golf courses so Dad decided we'd all go. It was going well until Emmett got a little too enthusiastic and began hitting the ball super hard. He drowned like ten balls, hit someone in the back of the head, and almost broke the windmill on one of the holes. He got escorted off the premises and was told never to come back."

I roared with laughter. That was so Emmett. He was definitely an over the top kind of guy.

"Since then, Dad has banned him from playing mini-golf until he's moved out of the house."

A little after one, we pulled into my drive. Bella got out, walked around the truck, and opened my door. She was too cute. Then, she walked me to the door where she planted a long, hard kiss on my lips before telling me goodnight.

"Will I see you tomorrow?" I asked, holding on to her, not quite ready to let her go.

"Sure. I'm free all day. Give me a call when you get up."

I watched as she got in the truck and pulled out of the driveway. Once she was out of sight, I headed inside where I found Esme and Carlisle sitting on the couch watching a movie.

"Hey, son. Did you have a good time?" Carlisle asked.

"Of course. I always have a good time when I'm with Bella," I told them as I sat down in the recliner.

"Esme said that your talked to your mother today," he casually commented.

I nodded before looking at Esme. She shook her head slightly, indicating that she hadn't told Dad about Mom's freakout.

"How is she?" he asked.

"Freaking out," I said.

Carlisle looked confused, so I explained the whole situation to him. He thought Esme had it right, that Mom was probably just afraid that she was going to be replaced.

Letting out a yawn, I said goodnight to them and headed upstairs. I was asleep as soon as my head hit my pillow.

* * *

"Let's go, Cullen! I need to kick your ass in Donkey Kong!" Emmett hollered from the Swan's Suburban.

"Hold on, dude!" I hollered back, as I made sure that I had my keys and wallet.

I shouted out a goodbye to Carlisle and Esme, before closing the door and climbing into the Suburban where I found myself squished in the backseat between Bella (which I didn't mind) and Emmett. Alice, Jasper, and Rose were in the seat in front of us with Charlie driving and Renee in the passenger seat. I was surprised to see her going to tell the truth. I just didn't picture her as the video game type.

"Mom takes her Kindle and reads the whole time, although once in a while she'll play pinball with one of us," Bella told me quietly.

An hour later, I was in an epic battle with Jasper on the air hockey table. It was one game I was fairly decent at. There was a lot of trash talking going on, and it wasn't until Renee scolded me for my language that I realized that I was becoming a part of their family.

"Ooo. You got in trouble! Now, you know you're family," Jasper hooted out.

I rolled my eyes at him, but I was secretly pleased that Bella's family had accepted me.

"Did you kick his butt?" Bella asked, wrapping her arms around my waist.

"I did," I said, turning around to face her.

"Good. He deserves it. He always wins whenever we play against him," she said before pressing a chaste kiss to my lips.

I wasn't a huge fan of PDA, especially with her parents in attendance, but I couldn't resist kissing her back.

"You're going to get me shot," I murmured against her lips.

She pulled back laughing. "Dad doesn't have his gun with him. You're safe."

"For now. If I get shot, I'm blaming you," I told her, digging my fingers into her ribs and tickling her.

She squealed then ran off.

I'd had been a truly great day with the Swans, and once again, I was jealous of how wonderful their family was. I knew from Bella that her parents argued once in a while and that money could be tight, but they were a fantastic family.

I was completely tuckered out by the time we got back to Forks, and the last thing I wanted to deal with was a phone call from my mother. She'd called me several times while we were out, and I'd finally answered her call, telling her I'd have to call her back.

"See you all tomorrow," I said as I climbed out of the Suburban. "Thanks for taking me with you."

"Of course," Renee said.

"Want to carpool with us tomorrow?" Jasper asked, sticking his head out the window.

"Sure," I said. "We can take my car on Tuesday then."

Waving goodbye, I went inside, said hi to Carlisle, and went up to my room. I kicked off my shoes and lay down on my bed.

I stared at my phone for several minutes before I called Mom back.

"Well, it's about time," she snapped when she answered the phone.

My finger hovered over the end call button, and I was so very tempted to press it.

"I told you I'd call you when I got back. I just got home," I said through gritted teeth, not understanding why she was being so rude.

"Where you with _her_?"

I knew immediately who she was asking about. "I told you earlier that I was with Bella and her family. Why does it matter if I was out with Esme and Dad?"

I heard an intake of breath from her end when I said Esme's name.

"When's your Christmas break?" Mom asked, ignoring my question.

I got up and looked at my calendar and told her when it was. She told me to have Carlisle buy me a ticket and that she and Eleazar would meet me at the Jacksonville airport. I thought it was a bit rude of her to make Carlisle buy my ticket when she was the one that wanted to see me, but I kept my mouth shut.

"So, when is Carlisle getting married?" Mom asked.

"I don't know. Why? Are you planning on coming to the wedding?" I asked in a snarky voice.

"There's no need to be rude, Edward. I raised you better than that. Maybe sending you to leave with Carlisle was a bad idea. You seemed to have lost your manners, and you seem to be awfully attached to that Bella girl. You're too young to be in a serious relationship. It will only end badly," she warned.

I had no idea what had gotten into my mother, but I was done with it. She was ruining the good day that I'd had.

"I gotta go," I said and quickly ended the call.

I tossed my phone on my desk and stomped down the stairs. I was freaking pissed.

"Everything okay?" Carlisle asked me.

"No. I need to clear my head. I'm heading out for a bit," I told him, grabbing my keys and leaving before he could say anything else.

I drove around for a while before I parked near a hiking trail that was a few miles from the house. I headed down the muddy trail that obviously hadn't been maintained and came to a stop when I saw a huge tree had fallen across the path.

I didn't feel like crawling over it, so I turned around to head back and that was when I spotted it through the trees. It looked like a small clearing. Leaving the safety of the path, I walked over fallen branches and wild brush until I stepped into the clearing. It was a small meadow with a brook along the far edge. It was so peaceful and beautiful.

Despite the fact that the grass was damp from an earlier rainfall, I sat down and let the peacefulness take over me. I had no idea how long I sat there but it must have been a while. It was only when the rain began to fall that I decided to head back home.

It had grown considerably darker while I was in the meadow, and I went to grab my phone to use as a flashlight when I realized that I didn't have it on me. It was sitting on my desk.

"Crap!" I muttered as I slipped and got my pants muddy.

I finally made it back to my car and winced when I saw the time. I'd been gone for three hours. It hadn't seemed that long.

I pulled into the drive and was greeted at the door by a furious Carlisle. I'd never seen him really mad before, and I hadn't really wanted to.

"Where the hell have you been?!" he shouted. "We were worried sick about you! You took off not telling me where you were going, you didn't answer your phone, and you've been gone for hours!"

I hung my head as I mumbled an apology. "I'm sorry. I left my phone here and didn't realize it until I was on my way back."

Carlisle ran a hand through his hair. "Give me your keys," he said.

Reluctantly, I handed them over.

"No car for a week. Either Esme or I will give you a ride to school and pick you up," I was informed.

"Actually, the Swans were going to give me a ride tomorrow," I said.

"Fine, but you're expected to come straight home. No hanging out with them or Bella for a week."

My mouth fell open and started to argue but was quickly shut down.

"Don't argue with me. I don't know what got into you this evening, but you don't get to just take off in your car whenever you want and not tell one of us where you're going. What if you'd gotten hurt, Edward? We'd have no way of knowing," Carlisle told me, and I knew he was right.

After being lectured for a while, I was sent upstairs, and I trudged up them, picking up my phone once I was in my room.

There were twelve missed calls. Five from Carlisle, five from Esme, and two from Bella, not to mention the numerous text messages I'd received.

I texted Bella back telling her I was fine, and I'd explain tomorrow.

Eventually, I drifted off to sleep, but it was restless. I kept having dreams that I was trapped in the meadow with no way to get out and no way to call for help.

Around three, I gave up trying to sleep. I headed downstairs and grabbed my book and curled up to read. As I was reading, my mind kept drifting to what Carlisle had said. I was actually surprised I only got the car taken away for a week, although being grounded totally sucked. I didn't know how I was going to go a week without being with Bella. All I could was hope that the week went by quickly.

* * *

a/n: Meh. That's how I felt about this chapter even after the rewrites. Although, there was some good info in here. As always, let me know what you thought.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Happy Friday! Thanks for the reviews!**

* * *

**BPOV**

_I'm fine. I'll explain tomorrow._

I read the text, then read it again. That was all he had to say. He was fine, and he'd explain tomorrow. Huffing, I tossed my phone onto my desk.

I was pissed. No, I was beyond pissed. _How dare Edward go off the grid like that! _When Carlisle had called asking if we'd seen Edward, all kinds of horrible thoughts had gone through my head. My first thought was that James had gotten to him.

I stomped into the living room where I found my Dad with a map spread out on the coffee table and my mom pacing back and forth.

"You can call off the rescue search. He's fine apparently," I snarled.

Dad looked up. "Is he okay? Did he get lost?"

"How the hell should I know? All he told me was that he'd explain later."

"I'm sure he has a good reason," Mom said.

I did my best to hold back the tears and hurt I felt that he'd blown me off, but I was unsuccessful. My lower lip trembled and one tear fell, then another. Immediately, Mom wrapped me up in a hug and rocked us back and forth.

"Let him explain before you do or say anything rash," she told me. "I have faith that everything will work out."

I nodded, holding on tight. She knew that I had a tendency to lash out when I was upset.

"What's wrong?" Emmett asked, coming into the room and seeing me crying.

"Did something happen to Edward?" Alice asked.

Dad shook his head. "Edward's fine. You all need to get ready for bed," he said, his voice booking no arguments.

My siblings gave me concerned looks as they headed upstairs. I pulled away from Mom, gave Dad a hug, and walked to my room.

I wiped the tears away and crawled into my bed.

* * *

I'd almost asked Jasper and Alice if I could ride with them because I wasn't sure I could see Edward and not go off on him. I'd woken up to find that I'd apparently cried in my sleep, and I was still upset with him.

Emmett pulled into Edward's drive, and I was slightly pleased to see that Edward looked as rough as I did. He climbed in and mumbled a hello as he shut the door.

I couldn't even look at him. I was afraid that I'd start crying or yelling.

"So, what happened to you yesterday, Ed?" Emmett asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

Edward let out a heavy sigh.

"My mother pissed me off, so I went for a drive and then a walk to cool off, but I forgot my phone at home and lost track of time."

My anger cooled a bit. If he'd left his phone at home then he hadn't been ignoring my calls or texts.

"I texted you back as soon as Carlisle was done lecturing and grounding me," he said, turning to face me.

I finally met his gaze and nodded. "From now on, always carry your phone with you. I was scared that James had gotten to you."

"I'm sorry I scared you," he said quietly as he reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

I sucked in a breath as I remembered how scared I'd felt. "You should be. I was so scared, and then I was freaking pissed."

He winced at my words. "I figured you would be. Carlisle sure was. I've never seen him so mad, and I've never heard him yell before. He grounded me."

"For how long?" I asked him.

"A week. No car, no you. Just straight to school then home."

As much as it pained me that I wouldn't be able to see him outside of school for a week, I thought Carlisle did a good job of hitting Edward where it hurt the most. It would make him think twice about going off like that.

"Being grounded sucks, dude," Emmett said.

"You'd know. I swear you've spent half your life grounded," Rose told him.

"Very possible. Will you need a ride to school for the rest of the week?" Em asked Edward.

"That would be great. I'll give you gas money," Edward told him, and I mouthed a thank you to Emmett. He knew that this would allow Edward and I a few extra minutes together.

Emmett gave me a wink as he replied to Edward. "No worries, Ed. It's not like you live that far away from us."

However, Edward insisted and finally Emmett agreed to let Edward give him some money.

* * *

By Wednesday, I was going crazy. I went to school, came home, did homework, talked to Edward, went to work, came home, and went to bed. Only to do it all over. I felt like I was the one who was grounded.

Over the past few weeks, Edward would stop off at my house and hang out with me before I went to work, but since he wasn't allowed to do that this week, I felt off balance. I missed spending time with him.

Then there was the fact that Jessica had decided that Edward and I were on the verge of breaking up, so she and Lauren were all over him again. He'd told them more than once that he and I were still together and weren't going to break up, but they refused to believe it. _Stupid idiots._

So, I was at work, praying for the night to be over when Edward, Dr. Cullen, and Esme walked in. I couldn't have contained the smile that crossed my face at seeing my boy.

The three of them took a seat in my section, and I practically ran over to their table.

"Hello, Bella," Esme said as I approached. "How are you?"

"I'm doing okay," I told her as I handed them their menus. "What brings you all in?"

Dr. Cullen gave me a smile as he said, "Edward insisted. Claimed that we had nothing to eat at home."

I grinned at Edward as he shot me a wink. I was just glad that Dr. Cullen had agreed.

I took their drink orders and was back within moments, placing their drinks in front of them.

They weren't ready to order yet, so reluctantly, I went and checked on my other tables. Unfortunately, Mrs. Stark, the cat lady, wanted to show me pictures of all of her cats. I finally was able to get away and headed toward Edward's table where I found Dr. Cullen trying not to laugh.

"It's not funny," I mumbled.

"I'm just glad to know that it's not just me she shows those pictures to," he told me.

"What will you have, Dr. Cullen?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

He smirked and informed me that I was to call him Carlisle, seeing as how I was dating his son. That would take some getting used to.

Thankfully, the diner started to clear out about twenty minutes after they had shown up, so I was able to spend more time with them.

After I'd delivered their food, I headed back to the counter, and started refilling the salt and pepper shakers. It was busy work and allowed me time to stare at Edward and watch him interact with Carlisle and Esme. He might not have realized, but the three of them presented a strong family unit.

Once they were done, they paid their bill, and Edward gave me a light kiss on the cheek. I waved goodbye, then went over to their table to gather up the plates. My mouth dropped open when I saw the amount of the tip that Carlisle had left. I couldn't keep all of it; it wouldn't be right. I'd find a way to give it back to him.

* * *

Friday morning I got a text from Edward telling me that he was ungrounded and would be able to pick me up. I grinned, glad that Carlisle had taken pity on him, and on us. Edward was supposed to be grounded until Sunday, but I was more than thrilled that I'd be able to spend the weekend with him.

I was sure the boys would ask Edward to stay the weekend, and I was sure Edward would agree.

"Edward's ungrounded, so he's picking me up," I told Jasper as I walked into the kitchen.

"Awesome. We'll ride with Em then."

Minutes later, Edward knocked on the door and wrapped me up in a hug. I returned it, inhaling the wonderful scent that was Edward Cullen. I loved the way he smelled.

"Are you huffing me?"

"Maybe," I said with a grin and a shrug.

He rolled his eyes, gave me a kiss on the lips, and said good morning to Mom.

"Oh, here. Take these. Don't give me that look, Bella," Renee scolded as she pressed some strange looking granola-type bar in our hands.

We mumbled thanks as we walked out to his car. Once in the car, he handed me his granola bar.

"Not going to attempt it?" I asked with a smirk.

"No. I like your mom and all, but I'm a bit scarred after the last breakfast she tried to feed me."

I let out a giggle. He had it easy. He wasn't forced to eat strange concoctions at least three times a week.

"Oh, by the way, Esme wants to know if you would like to come to dinner tonight?"

"I'd like that," I told him and was quick to brag to my siblings later on that I wouldn't be eating a Mom cooked meal.

"Man, that's so not fair," Emmett whined at lunch after I told him.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Get over it, you big baby. We'll go out for dinner."

Emmett's face lit up and he threw himself at Rose, thanking her profusely. He was such a goofball.

After lunch, I went to art class and got to deal with my two favorite people. Ignoring them, I sat down at my table and got out my sketchbook.

"Lauren!" I heard someone hiss from the doorway.

I looked up and saw James' girlfriend, Victoria. She shot me a scathing look as she and Lauren whispered about something.

I was actually surprised that Victoria hadn't sought me out and made my life a living hell. After all, I'd had her boyfriend arrested before, and of course Edward had gotten James in trouble as well.

But for some reason, she hadn't bothered me. It made me feel a bit unnerved the more I thought about it. Perhaps, she was biding her time or perhaps she just didn't care. However, I didn't think that was the case.

Out of the corner of my eye, I watched as Victoria and Lauren talked up until the bell rang. As Lauren walked by my desk, she gave me a dirty look. I rolled my eyes and did my best to ignore her and Jessica.

"What did Victoria want?" Jessica asked, and I could hear the jealousy in her voice.

I strained to hear Lauren's response, but I couldn't over the video that Mrs. Dormien had put in.

_Damn! _I'd really wanted to hear her what Victoria had wanted.

As I was gathering up my stuff and shoving it into my bag, Jessica stopped by my table.

I braced myself for whatever it was she was about to say.

"Watch your back. Lauren and Victoria are up to something," she told me under her breath before scurrying out of the room.

I watched her leave before shaking my head, and heading to Biology. I sat down next to Edward and told him what Jessica had told me.

He frowned and asked that I be careful. I told him I would be.

After school, Edward and I drove to his house. I always felt a bit overwhelmed whenever I went there. I lived in a small, modest house. Edward lived in a mini-mansion.

I followed Edward up the walk and into the house. Esme was pacing the hallway on the phone, but she gave us a wave and a smile. We waved back before heading up to Edward's room.

He kept the door open, but that didn't stop him from planting a wonderfully delicious kiss on my lips. My bag slipped out of my hand as I wrapped my arms around his neck and returned his kiss.

I have a feeling that kiss would have gone on forever if it hadn't been for the clearing of a throat in the doorway. Blushing, we pulled apart, and I buried my face in Edward's chest. It was so embarrassing getting busted making out.

"Sorry to interrupt," Esme began. "I just wanted to let you know there are cookies on the counter if you'd like some, and that dinner will be around seven once Carlisle gets home."

"Thanks, Esme," Edward said, and I echoed him.

"Carry on," she said as she walked away.

Edward laughed and pulled away slightly, putting a finger under my chin and tilting it up.

"Why are you so embarrassed?"

"I was practically mauling your face off, and your soon-to-be stepmom saw it."

He let out another laugh. "There was no mauling going on. Besides, I've busted her and Carlisle making out. Which, by the way, is not something I wanted to see."

I giggled at the face that he made before allowing him to pull me down onto his bed with him.

"Want to watch a movie?" he asked, kicking off his shoes.

I followed suit, kicking off my own shoes as I told him a movie would be fine. Of course, we spent the next five minutes arguing about what movie to watch. Finally, we settled on _Resident Evil_. It was the one zombie-like movie that I could tolerate, and it didn't scare the crap out of me.

Edward arranged himself on the bed so that he was sitting up, leaning on a pillow. He pulled me between his legs, so that my back was resting on his chest, and his arms were around my waist. It was a wonderful feeling being surrounded by Edward.

We started off watching the movie, but at some point we became distracted by one another. Next thing I knew, I was on lying on my back with Edward hovering over me. His lips on mine, and one of his hands roaming up and down my side. I was a bit nervous. I'd never been in such an intimate position with a boy before.

It was as if Edward could sense my uneasiness because he moved himself slightly, so that he was more on his side than on top of me.

I brought his lips back to mine and tangled my fingers in his hair. I had an obsession with his hair. It was soft, thick, and perfect for running your fingers through.

Eventually, the need to breath became a necessity, and I reluctantly pulled my lips away from his. His lips began to trail down my neck, kissing and nibbling along the way.

The hand that was on my side began to trace circles on my stomach but made no move to slide under my shirt or upward, something I was grateful for. I wasn't quite ready to go any further than making out.

The closing of the front door and Carlisle's voice broke us apart, and Edward sat up, running a hand through his hair. I giggled when it stuck up all over the place.

"What?" he asked.

"Your hair. It's got a life of it's own," I said with a grin.

"Yeah, I've given up trying to tame it."

Standing up, he stretched and his shirt rose showing off a sliver of his stomach. While he wasn't overly built like Emmett, Edward had a nice body, and he totally busted me staring at him.

To cover up my embarrassment, I excused myself to use his bathroom.

As I was washing my hands, I noticed that my face was flushed, my eyes were bright, and my lips were swollen. I looked well and truly ravished.

I went to put my hair up in a ponytail when I noticed a purplish mark on my neck. My mouth fell open as I realized that Edward had given me a hickey. Sighing, I attempted to comb my hair with my fingers so that it didn't look horribly messy as it fell around my shoulders.

I opened the bathroom door and turned off the light before heading back into Edward's room.

"I love your hair," he told me, gathering me in his arms and burying his face in my hair.

"Yeah, well someone had gave me a hickey, so I have to wear it down."

"Sorry," he said with a smirk, not looking sorry at all.

Twenty minutes later, we were seated at the table across from Esme and Carlisle. Esme had cooked the most wonderful smelling lasagna, and I almost died from pleasure after taking a bite. I don't think I'd ever tasted something so good.

"This is amazing!" I gushed to Esme.

She let out a laugh. "I can give you the recipe if you like."

"I don't cook, although you'd think I'd have learned after having to deal with Mom's cooking."

"Oh, yes. I've heard about Renee's cooking," she said with a smile.

"I wish Dad would do the cooking, but all he knows how to do is fry fish and grill."

I'd been afraid at first that dinner would be awkward, but it wasn't. I found that I really liked both Esme and Carlisle.

After dinner, Edward and I offered to clear the table and do the dishes. Esme and Carlisle took us up on it.

Of course, Edward and I used the time to flirt, kiss, and goof off. He was washing the dishes while I was drying them, and I let out a gasp as a splash of water hit me, drenching my shirt. Scooping up some water in my hand, I tossed it at him, grinning when I hit him.

"Oh, you're in for it now, Swan," he warned as he stalked toward me.

I squealed as he came for me, and I tried to run out of the kitchen but wasn't quick enough.

Soon, I was roaring with laughter as he tickled me relentlessly.

"Edward! Let the poor girl up," Esme scolded, coming into the kitchen.

"Aw, but Esme—"

She gave him a look, and he let go of me, leaving me gasping for air on the floor.

"Boys," Esme muttered as she helped me up.

I stuck my tongue out at him, watching as he rolled his eyes.

"Why don't you come into the living room? Carlisle and I wanted to talk to you for a minute," she told him.

I excused myself to head up to Edward's room, but both Esme and Edward stopped me.

"You're family," Esme said. "You can come too."

I sat next to Edward on the couch, my hand tucked into his as Carlisle and Esme discussed their wedding. They'd decided to get married at the courthouse the following weekend. Carlisle wanted Edward to stand up as his best man.

I was also invited and told to extend the invitation to my family as well.

"We'll have a reception here after the wedding. Nothing big, just some of my co-workers as well as Esme's," Carlisle said.

"Do I have to wear at tux?" Edward asked, not looking pleased at the thought.

"No. Just a nice suit. If you don't have one, we'll get you one," Carlisle told him.

We talked about the wedding for a bit more, before Carlisle brought up Edward's mother.

"Carmen called me at the office this morning," Carlisle began.

Edward stiffened next to me. He hadn't told me what the fight with his mother was about, but I could tell that he didn't want to talk about it.

"What did she want?" he spat.

"She wanted to confirm your Christmas schedule since you'll be spending your break with her."

Edward's shoulders slumped slightly. "I don't want to go," he muttered quietly.

Carlisle gave a small sigh and ran a hand through his hair much like Edward tended to do.

"I don't know what the fight with your mother was about, but you did tell her you would go. I'm more than willing to buy the ticket for you to go visit her. You don't have to stay the whole break, but you do need to spend some time with her."

Edward nodded. "Fine, but I want to come home right after Christmas. I want to spend New Year's here."

"We can do that. Now, do you want to tell me what has you so upset with Carmen?"

Edward quietly explained that his mother was acting jealous and how she'd called Esme a gold digger and then told him that he was too young to get serious about a girl. He told us about the hateful things his mother had said, and I could easily understand why he'd been so upset. I'd have been upset if my mother had said those things as well.

* * *

The weeks started to fly by and before I knew it, Halloween was upon us. James was still in the wind, and his parents had told Dad that James had moved out of state to live with relatives. Since no one had seen or heard from him, we all assumed that it was true. I had a feeling that if James had been around, then he would have done something by now.

Jessica and Lauren had had a huge falling out, and it looked like Jane, Victoria, and Lauren were best friends. I almost felt bad for Jessica, and I realized that once you got her away from Lauren, she wasn't all that bad.

She'd taken to sitting at lunch with us, which had been weird at first, but I'd felt bad when I'd seen her sitting by herself. Of course, I'd warned her that if she sat with us, there would be no flirting with Edward. She'd agreed.

"What are we doing this weekend?" Emmett asked as we sat around the table at lunch.

"There's supposed to be a huge party this weekend," Alice said. "We should totally go."

I wasn't sure how I felt about going to a party. The last party I'd gone to had ended with James attacking me. I hadn't gone to a party since.

"Where's the party at?" Edward asked, his arm around my shoulder.

"Mike's house," she replied. "It's supposed to be the party of the year. Everyone's been invited."

I groaned upon hearing that. I despised Mike, but Alice wheedled and pleaded until we all agreed to go.

Friday afternoon, I was spent being tortured by Alice. She'd informed all of us that since we were all in relationships that our costumes should be that of couples. I'd apologized profusely to Edward when I'd found out. He'd laughed it off, saying it was okay.

Edward and I had to decided to go as Westley and Buttercup from _The Princess Bride_. Alice and Jasper were going as Woody and Jessie from _Toy Story_, and Rose and Emmett were going as Fred and Wilma from _The Flintstones._

I let out a huff as Alice as dolled me up, complaining all the makeup was unnecessary. She didn't agree nor did she listen to me. Tiny terror.

At quarter to eight, we left my house. Edward and I were driving separate from the others. We followed them to Newton's house, which was out in the middle of freaking nowhere. There were cars parked all over the place; in the driveway and on the lawn.

We parked behind Emmett's jeep and got out, walking to the house with our hands clasped.

Neither of us were feeling particularly comfortable.

The second we walked in, loud music and the smell of smoke assaulted us. There were people everywhere, some in costume, some not, but a lot of them were drinking. I watched as Emmett headed toward the keg with Rose in tow.

I hated that he drank, but as he'd pointed out to me, eighteen year olds in places like England were allowed to drink. As long as he was responsible about it and didn't attempt to drive, I would deal with it. Plus, I knew that Rose would keep an eye on him.

I saw some kids in the corner smoking weed, and I saw Alice giving Jasper a look. He took her hand and gave it a squeeze before dragging her into the kitchen.

Edward and I found a spot off to the side of the living room away from the pot smokers. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me to him.

"I hate parties," I told him.

"Me, too. Tanya used to drag me to them all the time. That was mainly so that she could get drugs," he told me.

We spent the first thirty minutes in our own little bubble, talking to each other, but that all changed the minute I left to use the restroom. I hadn't had anything to drink, but I'd had to go. The line for the upstairs bathroom had been absurd, and by the time I fought my way back down the stairs, I found Edward surrounded by drunk girls. Some of them were from our school, some were complete strangers.

I could tell that he was getting fed up with their unwanted advances, but he was too polite to tell them to back the eff off.

"I told you," I heard him say, "I'm here with my girlfriend."

"Well, I don't see her," some girl that I'd never seen before, said.

"I'm right here," I told her, wrapping an arm around Edward's waist. "Shall we go find my siblings?"

He nodded and as we walked away he thanked me.

We found a rather pissed off looking Rose sitting on couch in the basement next to a rather drunk Emmett. He was telling some story loudly to some other drunk idiots. I gave a sigh as we shared a look.

"I've got his keys," she assured me.

"Seen Alice or Jasper?" I asked.

"I think they went outside. The smoke was getting to Jasper."

"Why did we agree to this?" I asked her.

She shrugged.

Taking Edward's hand, we headed back upstairs and out to the backyard. The yard was filled with even more drunk people, some of them in various states of undress. I saw more of Lauren Mallory than I ever wanted to see. She was on the porch swing straddling some guy. It was embarrassing.

"Can we leave?" Edward asked me as I scanned the area for Alice and Jasper.

"Yeah," I told him, having spotted Alice near some trampled flowers.

I headed toward her with Edward following and informed them that we were leaving. Alice pouted, but I pointed out that neither of us were having much fun. What was the point of staying if we were bored?

"Don't stay too late. You know Dad's going to end up busting this party," I warned. "Oh, and Emmett's drunk."

It was a little after ten when we left, and we decided to head to Edward's house. If I showed up at mine without my siblings, Dad would probably interrogate me.

"How was the party?" Carlisle asked after we walked into the house.

"Ugh," we both said.

"That good, huh?" Carlisle asked.

"Oh, yeah," Edward said. "Mind if we go up to my room and watch a movie?"

"Just keep the door open."

A little after midnight, I got a call from a frantic Alice. I could hardly understand her because she was hysterical.

"Alice, calm down. Take a deep breath. What's wrong?"

"I can't find Jasper."

"What do you mean you can't find him?"

"I mean I can't find him!" she screeched. "I've looked everywhere, and he's not here! I don't know where he is, and he's not answering his phone."

Panic welled up inside me, but I had to remain calm for her sake.

"I'm going to call Dad," I told her.

"No! We'll get in so much trouble! He said we could go as long as Newton's parents were home and there wasn't any drinking."

I told her too bad, and I hung up then called Dad.

"Hey, kiddo."

"Hey, Dad. Listen, um … you know that party we went to?"

"Yes."

"Well, Alice called me just now in a panic because Jasper's missing."

I explained that Edward and I had left because we felt uncomfortable and were bored. I then broke down and told him about the drinking and smoking that was going on as well. Needless to say, Dad was furious.

"I want you home, now!"

I hung up and looked at Edward. I had a feeling I was going to be the one grounded for the next week.

Edward dropped me off at home a little after twelve-thirty and asked that I call or text him once I heard something. I promised I would before giving him a long hard kiss.

I sat with Mom in the living room until I heard the front door open. Dad came in, and he was beyond furious. I'd don't think I'd ever seen him so angry before. He slammed the front door shut, before yelling at us all to sit down.

I watched as my shame-faced siblings took seats on the couch and the floor. Jasper had apparently been found and judging by the redness of his eyes and the dopey look on his face, he was high as a kite.

"I'm so furious with all of you! You lied to us when we asked you if Mike's parents would be home. You lied when you said it wasn't a party, but a small get together. Did you think we wouldn't find out?" he shouted.

I cringed watching as he got more and more red in the face. Mom was silent, but her lips were pressed together and her eyes were filled with disappointment.

"Emmett, I can't even tell you how disappointed I am in you! Underage drinking is a serious offense!"

"But Dad, kids in Engl—"

"Are we in England? No! We're in the U.S. where the legal drinking age is twenty-one. I should have you arrested!"

A look of horror crossed over Emmett's face.

"However, you'll be doing community service instead. A hundred hours at the nursing home. I'll set it up tomorrow. And I think it goes without saying that you're grounded."

I could see that Emmett wanted to argue, but he was smart enough to keep his mouth shut.

Dad then turned to Rose, Alice, and myself. We were informed that we were all grounded for a week. No going out, no Internet, no TV. It was school and work. I felt it was a bit unfair since I didn't even stay that long, but I knew better to argue with Dad when he was pissed.

Then Dad turned his gaze to Jasper. He interrogated the fool, who admitted that this wasn't the first time he'd gotten high. Mom looked on the verge of tears while Dad shook his head.

Jasper was given a hundred hours of community service at the animal shelter which would be hell for Jasper because he was not a fan of animals.

We were all then sent to bed, and I could hear Mom crying with Dad comforting her. I felt horrible.

I crawled into bed and gave Edward a call.

"Hey, sweet girl. Did they find Jasper?"

"Yeah. The idiot was hiding in the bushes getting stoned with some guys from Port Angeles. Needless to say, we are all in trouble. We're all grounded for a week and Em and Jazz have to do a hundred hours of community service."

"Ouch."

"Yeah. I feel like I shouldn't be grounded as long, but I'm not about to argue with Dad right now. So much for us hanging out this weekend."

"Yeah, guess my sleeping over at your house is off the table," he said.

"That would be a yes," I said with a sigh. "At least I can still call and text you. It's not fair, though. They get to see their significant others, I don't get to do that."

"Well, it's a week. We'll survive. But after this, no more getting grounded. Going a week without you is too much," he said, sweetly.

"I agree."

Yawning, I told him goodnight and soon fell asleep. It was a restless sleep filled with nightmares. I woke up gasping, tears streaming down my face. Realizing that I'd only been dreaming, I flopped back on my bed. I'd dreamt that Edward was lost, and I hadn't been able to find him.

Rolling over, I noticed that I'd only been asleep for three hours. Knowing I wouldn't get back to sleep for a while, I dug out my old copy of _The Princess Bride_ and began reading.

At some point, I must have fallen asleep because I was awoken by Mom removing the book from my hand and kissing me on the head.

I woke up the next morning in a bad mood. I holed myself up in my room and listened as my siblings bitched and moaned about being bored. That's what books were for. If you had a book, you could never be bored.

All and all, my being grounded wasn't absolutely horrible especially since I was able to talk to Edward.

* * *

a/n: See you next week.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: My bad for not posting yesterday. I'm all thrown off on what day it is, so I apologize. As always, thanks so much for reading and reviewing.**

* * *

"Edward?" Esme asked, interrupting from my daydream as I sat on the couch bored out of my mind.

It was Saturday and normally I'd be hanging with Bella, but she'd been called into work, and her brothers were busy doing stuff with Alice and Rose.

"Yeah?"

"Do you know what the Swans' plans are for Thanksgiving?"

I shook my head. "Not really. According to Bella, their mom usually attempts some kind of unusual turkey recipe. Why?"

Esme sat down next to me and explained that she'd like to have everyone over for Thanksgiving. I was on board with that, and I had a feeling the Swan siblings would be as well.

I sent Bella a text asking her thoughts on spending Thanksgiving with us, while Esme gave Renee a call. Esme and Renee got along really well just like Carlisle and Charlie. The two of them were actually planning a fishing trip in a couple of weeks.

My phone alerted me that I had a text, and I saw that it was from Bella and she was thrilled with the idea of spending turkey day with us.

Since she'd been released from her grounded prison, we'd both been our best behavior. Neither of us particularly cared to get grounded again. It was too hard to go so long without seeing each other. I'd complained to Esme about it, and she'd rolled her eyes and called me needy. She'd said it wasn't like I didn't see Bella everyday at school, and I'd told her it wasn't the same thing.

"Bella's cool with it," I whispered to Esme as she talked to Renee.

Esme gave me a thumbs up and continued to chat, so I headed upstairs. I flopped down on my bed, grabbed my laptop and checked my email. Nothing exciting in my inbox except for an email from Tanya.

I opened it and scanned the contents. She told me that she was doing better and appreciated that I'd been concerned about her. She then let me know she was coming to Seattle for Thanksgiving to visit some relatives and wanted to know if we could meet up. I was a bit on the fence about it and decided to talk to Bella about it when she came over tomorrow.

* * *

"Is it Tanya coming by herself?" Bella asked as we were lying on my bed, her head resting on my stomach.

"No, her whole family is visiting."

"Do you want to see her?" she asked.

I shrugged. "I don't know. I'd like to see Irina. We were always good friends even after I broke up with Tanya."

"Well, I'm certainly not going to stop you or say that you can't see them."

"Would you go with me?" I asked.

"Really?" she asked, sounding surprised. "You want me to meet your ex-girlfriend?"

"I want you to meet Irina. Chances are good that you'll end up meeting Tanya as well."

"Okay," she said with a shrug and went back to the book she was reading.

The rest of our day was spent hanging out quietly, exchanging kisses and cuddles.

By the following week, I was a bit nervous. Irina and Tanya would be arriving in Seattle on Tuesday, and I knew that they wanted to meet up in Port Angeles.

I'd begun to rethink inviting Bella along. It wasn't that I didn't want her there with me, I did, but I was afraid that Tanya would do or say something to Bella. So, I went to Esme for advice.

"I did the right thing telling Bella about Tanya coming for a visit, right?"

Esme nodded. "I think you did the right thing. Imagine how you would have felt if Bella went to meet an ex-boyfriend and didn't tell you about it."

I would have been considerably upset if that had happened.

"I'm just afraid that Tanya is going to be mean to Bella, and I won't stand for that. Perhaps, I shouldn't have invited Bella along."

Esme gave my shoulder a squeeze. "I'm sure it'll be fine."

"Let's hope so," I muttered.

Tuesday afternoon, Bella and I drove up to Port Angeles, both of us a bit nervous. I reached over and squeezed her hand, which she clutched tightly.

"Nervous?" I asked.

She nodded her head.

"Me, too," I admitted.

I pulled my car into the parking lot of an Applebee's and got out, rushing around the car to open Bella's door.

I took her hand in mine, gave her a kiss, and we made our way inside. I told the hostess that we were meeting a couple of people and almost immediately I was greeted with the sounds of squealing coming from Irina and Tanya.

Keeping my hand firmly in Bella's, I gave each girl a one-armed hug before introducing Bella to them.

"Oh, it's wonderful to meet you!" Irina squealed before giving Bella a hug. "Edward's told me so much about you."

Bella's shoulders relaxed a bit as she returned Irina's greetings. However, I tensed a bit when Tanya stepped forward to introduce herself to Bella.

"It's nice to meet you, Bella. I have to say, I haven't heard much about you," she said in a snarky voice.

"Tanya!" hissed Irina. "Behave."

Bella gave my hand a squeeze before responding. "It's nice to meet you as well, Tanya. I'm afraid I've heard all about you."

Well, that shut Tanya up.

"Don't let her get to you, love," I whispered in Bella's ear.

Her cheeks turned a light pink, but for the life of me I couldn't figure out why. Not too worried about it, I slid into the booth after Bella and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. I wasn't trying to flaunt my relationship in front of Tanya, but I wasn't going to hide it either.

For a moment we all sat there in awkward silence until the waitress broke it by bringing us our menus and getting our drink orders.

"So, how is life in Spoons?" Irina asked.

"Forks you mean? It's pretty darn good. A lot better than when I'd first moved here," I told her.

Grinning, Irina pointed at Bella. "It take it, she's the reason it's so much better."

"Definitely," I said, returning her grin.

Irina, Bella, and I talked and laughed while we waited for our food. Tanya didn't seem inclined to join our conversation despite my attempts. I finally gave up. I wasn't sure what her problem was. Irina had told me that Tanya had boyfriend back in Phoenix, so I didn't think jealousy was an issue. Then again, what the hell did I know?

After we finished our meal, the four of us walked around Port Angeles. I was pleased to see Bella and Irina getting along so well.

We'd been walking for about twenty minutes, when Bella stopped in front of a bookstore.

"Mind if I pop in real quick?" she asked.

I shook my head while Irina told her she'd go with her. I started to follow them inside when Tanya put her hand on my arm and asked to speak with me. Sighing, I made my way to a bench outside the bookstore and sat down, watching wearily as Tanya sat beside me.

She reached over and took my hand in hers, and I quickly pulled my hand away. She gave me a hurt look which I didn't understand. We weren't a couple. She knew that.

"I wanted to apologize for my behavior when we were together."

"It's in the past. I've moved on. I hope that you've learned your lesson though," I told her.

"I have. Being in the hospital was a wake-up call. Mom and Dad don't trust me though, so they're sending me up here to live with my aunt and uncle," she said.

"Huh," was my response.

"I was kind of hoping that you would give me another chance," she said.

I turned to look at her. She couldn't possibly be serious.

"I've moved on, Tanya. I'm with Bella and that's not going to change anytime soon."

Tanya acted like she didn't even hear me. She tossed her hair behind her shoulder, a move that annoyed the hell out of me.

"Oh, please, Edward. You can do so much better."

I glared at her as I stood up. "I'm not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth Bella. You know nothing about her, but I can tell you this. I love her. She's it for me."

Tanya's mouth fell open before she started laughing. "Let me guess, you're sleeping with her and that's why you think you love her."

"It's none of your business what I do with Bella, and sex has nothing to do with why I love her. She's everything to me. She's smart, she's beautiful, and she doesn't screw around on me or do drugs unlike someone I know."

"Whatever, Edward. You'll come back to me. Boys always do."

I looked at her with disgust. Who was this person in front of me?

"I wouldn't go back to you if you were the last person on earth," I said before heading into the store.

I found Bella and Irina giggling in the romance section, and I felt the tension leave my body the second I laid eyes on my girl.

"What are you two giggling about?" I asked, grinning when they both jumped.

"Nothing," they replied as Bella quickly shoved a book back on the shelf.

Reaching over her, I grabbed the book, grinning as she tried to get it from me.

My eyebrows raised a bit when I took in the racy cover. There was an overly muscular man on the front, holding a voluptuous brunette with a torn dress.

"Really, Bella? You read this stuff?" I asked.

She hung her head as she nodded. Laughing, I put the book back and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She was too cute.

"How did your talk with Tanya go?" Irina asked.

I scowled at the mention of her name.

"That good, huh?"

"You could've warned me that your parents were sending her to live with your aunt and uncle."

Irina looked at me like I had three heads.

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

I told her what Tanya had told me, and Irina stood there shaking her head.

"I don't know why she would say that. Mom and Dad aren't sending her anywhere. I'll be having a talk with her," she said with a huff. "Did she say anything else?"

I nodded, rubbing the back of my neck with my hand. "She wants me back. Of course, I told her that wasn't happening which she didn't take too well."

Bella scowled upon hearing that while Irina rolled her eyes and told us that she'd told Tanya that it wouldn't happen.

"You have nothing to worry about, Bella," Irina said, wrapping an arm around Bella's shoulders. "Edward would never leave you. The boy is completely in love with you."

Bella and I both blushed at Irina's words.

Bella mumbled something I couldn't hear, then Irina excused herself to go find Tanya, leaving me alone with Bella.

"She's right, you know," I said, although this wasn't how I'd pictured telling Bella that I loved her.

"What?" she asked, her mouth falling open.

I stepped closer to her, pressing her into the bookshelf behind her. I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and leaned down.

"I know that some might say that it's way too early and that we're too young, but it's true. I love you."

She stared at me, and I was terrified that I'd ruined things. I watched, horrified, as her eyes welled up with tears. I shoved my hands into my pockets and prepared for the worst.

What I wasn't prepared for was Bella throwing herself at me. I stumbled backward and smacked into the bookshelf behind me as I found my arms filled with Bella.

I felt her tears as they dropped onto my neck as she clung tightly to me.

"I love you, too!" she said between sobs.

I breathed a sigh of relief and pulled her away from slightly so I could see her face. Her beautiful brown eyes were red and swimming with tears. I leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips, muttering that I loved her. What I'd intended to be a chaste kiss quickly became a rather passionate one, and we got so lost in one another that we forgot where we were.

"Sorry to interrupt," Irina said from beside us. "But, T and I need to head back. Let's try and get together this weekend before we leave on Sunday. Okay?"

"You bet," I told her, removing myself from Bella and giving Irina a hug.

We walked out with Irina after Bella paid for her book and said goodbye to them.

"I should probably get home soon as well," Bella told me, her tiny hand tucked in mine.

The ride home was spent with us shooting each other goofy glances. I knew for a fact that I had a dopey grin on my face, and I was pleased to see that Bella did as well. I honestly didn't think I'd ever been so happy.

After dropping Bella off at her house and giving her a kiss, I drove home.

I walked in the door and found Esme and Carlisle in a heated embrace. I made a face and tried to dash up the stairs as quickly as possible but was stopped by Carlisle.

"Sorry, son."

I shook my head. "Whatever."

"How was it seeing Irina and Tanya?" he asked as we all headed into the living room.

I told them it was okay and tried to leave it at that, but Esme wasn't having it. She knew something was up. She cocked her head to the side and stared at me.

"What?"

"Something's different about you," she commented.

I denied it, but she kept staring at me until I caved. I told her all about Tanya's pathetic advances and how I'd ended up telling Bella I loved her. I then felt the need to defend myself even though no one had said anything negative.

"She's it for me. I know that we're young and whatnot, but I do love her."

"Of course you do," Esme said, agreeing with me while Carlisle nodded.

To say I was a bit surprised would be an understatement. I expected them to take the attitude that Mom had when I'd told her about Bella.

"Really? You're not going to give me a lecture on how young and foolish I am?"

They shook their heads.

"Look at Charlie and Renee," Esme said. "They've been together since high school. Who's to say that it's not real?"

"My mother. I'm sure she'd have a fit," I said with a sigh.

"Speaking of Carmen, you need to buy your plane ticket soon," Carlisle reminded me.

I nodded and headed upstairs to do just that. Once I'd boughten my ticket, I sprawled out on my bed and thought of nothing but Bella and the three words that she'd repeated back to me.

* * *

"Edward, can you wake up son? We need your help getting Thanksgiving ready," Carlisle said, gently shaking my shoulder.

Groaning, I rolled over and mumbled that I'd be down in a moment. Fifteen minutes later, I trudged down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"Good morning, Edward!" Esme said, ruffling my hair.

"Morning," I said as I grabbed a can of Pepsi from the fridge.

Esme frowned but didn't say anything. I think it was obvious that I needed caffeine to wake up.

Moments later, a bowl with dough was set in front of me, and I was informed that I needed to start kneading it. Grumbling, I got up and washed my hands before diving into the bowl. I tugged and pulled and rolled, not quite sure what I was doing or why.

"Esme? What is this for?" I finally asked, after another bowl was set in front of me.

"Pie crust and possibly biscuits."

"Oh," was my reply as I went back to mindless task.

Once I was done with the dough, I was given three pie pans and told to put the dough in them. I carefully followed Esme's directions as she instructed me on how to make pies. It wasn't as bad as I'd thought it would be.

"Where'd Carli ‑Dad go?" I asked, correcting myself. Esme didn't like it that I called Carlisle by his name, and I was trying to fix that. It's not like I called him Carlisle to his face, so I should be able to call him Dad when I was talking to someone else.

"He's out back peeling potatoes and shucking the corn," she said with a grin.

I couldn't help but return it and grabbing my phone, deciding that was a sight I had to see.

I headed toward the back porch and found Carlisle sitting on the steps and cursing up a storm. He was covered in the husk and the stringy stuff that was on the corn. There was more on him than in the paper bag that Esme had given him. Snickering, I took a quick picture then headed back to the kitchen.

I showed the picture to Esme, causing her to laugh.

"That man. He can perform surgery, but he can't shuck corn to save his life."

A little after noon, the smell of turkey was in the air, and I was starving. I'd been given some vegetables to snack on, but they weren't cutting it.

"I'm so hungry," I whined, hoping that Esme would take pity on me. Sadly, she didn't.

"Too bad. We'll be eating in a couple of hours. Now, shoo."

I roamed about bored until the doorbell rang a half-hour later. Rushing to open it, I was more than happy to see Bella and her family. I greeted all of them and showed them to the kitchen where I could hear Esme and Carlisle greeting them.

"Hey, baby," I said, giving Bella a quick kiss. "I'm so glad you guys are here. I've been bored to death, and I'm hungry."

Leaving the adults to converse amongst themselves, the six of us headed up to my room to watch some movies. We could've watched TV in the living room, but Carlisle had some football game on, and football was not my thing.

"By the way, Mom made some weird pie. I'd suggest not eating it," Emmett informed me.

"I made some pies as well. With Esme's help," I informed them.

Two hours later, us kids were seated at the main table in the dining room while the parents ate at the table in the kitchen. We had officially been relegated to the children's table so to speak.

I had known that Emmett could put food away, but watching him shovel forkful of mashed potatoes after mashed potatoes was a bit scary and disgusting.

Stuffed after eating our fantastic Thanksgiving dinner, we all headed into the living room where I was forced to endure a football game. I really didn't care for it, so I spent most of the time talking quietly to Bella.

By Saturday, I was tired of eating left-overs. There was a ton in the fridge along with Renee's untouched pie. Not one of us was brave enough to attempt it, but Esme wouldn't let us throw it away. She'd mumbled something about feeling guilty for not eating it, but I didn't feel guilty at all. I liked to think that my stomach was thankful to me for not eating it.

That afternoon, Irina called me and we talked for several hours.

"Oh, I asked Mom and Dad why they were sending Tanya up here, and they had no idea what I was talking about. So later on, T told Mom and Dad that she wanted to live with Aunt Heidi and Uncle Felix. She gave some big spiel about how it would be better for her, blah, blah, blah. I think they're going to let her if Heidi and Felix says it's okay."

I didn't bother to hold back a groan. The last thing I wanted was Tanya within driving distance of me.

"I'll keep you informed. I promise," she told me.

* * *

It was hard to believe that Christmas break was around the corner. Two weeks of no school had everyone excited. However, the fact that I was going to be spending one of those weeks with my mother and her new husband dampened my mood. I tried not to let it affect me, but it was obvious to my friends and family that I was less than thrilled to be going.

"We'll talk everyday," Bella promised.

"I know, but it's not the same as seeing you."

"You'll survive," she said, giving me a kiss.

We were chilling at her house after school before she had to go to work, and we were supposed to be doing homework.

"I swear I'm going to arrest that asshole for obstructing justice. Stupid fucker," Charlie muttered as he came into the room.

"Charlie! Language!" Renee hollered down the hall causing Bella and I to laugh.

"I'm an adult, 'Nee. I'll swear if I want to."

"What's wrong, Dad?" Bella asked.

"The Trakkers, that's what's wrong. Lying jerks. I just happened to drive by their place on the way home and who did I see lounging on the porch? James."

"He's back?" I asked.

Charlie nodded. "That's if he was ever gone. I had a little chat with him and his father. I've warned them that I'll be watching, but I want all of you to be careful."

We nodded. I'd been hoping that we'd been rid of James for good, but obviously I was wrong. Now we had to deal with both James and Tanya. Yeah, she'd moved to Seattle. She'd spammed the hell out of my phone until I'd been forced to change my number. I'd also changed my email address and blocked her from my Facebook page. Needless to say, Tanya was not happy with me.

I was just waiting for her to show up. I was actually surprised that she hadn't. Not that I wanted her to. Far from it.

Knowing that James was back made me extra cautious, so I followed Bella to work and told her to call me when she was done, and I'd escort her back home. She'd protested, but I wasn't taking any chances. I escorted her to and from work for the rest of the week until Friday arrived.

I was grumpy and snapped at everyone as I tossed my bag into the trunk of Carlisle's car. He, Esme, and Bella were taking me to the airport. I was in a foul mood and almost begged Carlisle to let me stay. I knew what he would say though. He would say that I'd made a promise to my mother, and I needed to keep it.

So, it was with a heavy heart that I boarded the plane to Jacksonville. Once I'd stowed my bag and gotten settled in my seat, my phone beeped.

_I love you. Call me when you land._

Immediately, I felt better. I quickly responded then shut off my phone. I sat back in my seat and watched as the ground below me got smaller and smaller.

Seven hours and one stop later, the plane pulled into the Jacksonville airport. After gathering my stuff, I slowly made my way off the plane and into the terminal where I found my mother and her husband waiting for me.

"Eddie! Welcome to Florida!" she squealed, wrapping me up in a hug.

For a moment, I was able to forget about all the nastiness, and returned the hug my mother gave me.

"This is Eleazar. Eleazar, this is Edward," she said, introducing me.

I shook hands with him, but immediately felt uncomfortable. Something about him bothered me. I couldn't figure out what it was, but there was something about him that was unsettling.

"You're rooms all ready. I spent ages perfecting. You're going to love it!" she gushed as we made our way into the Florida sunshine.

Sitting in the back of the car, I turned on my phone and sent Bella and Carlisle each a text telling them that I'd arrived and I'd talk to them later.

Putting my phone away, I watched the scenery as it went by, until we pulled into the drive of a little Spanish-style house. Heaving a sigh, I figured then and there it was going to be a long week.

* * *

a/n: As always let me know what you think!


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Happy Friday, everyone! As always, thank you so much for reading and reviewing. My new story (which is still untitled) will start posting at some point in August (most likely in the second week).**

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**BPOV**

After I returned from dropping Edward off, I was a wreck. I'd almost lost it as I'd watched him board the plane. It was stupid. I was going to see him in a week, and it wasn't like I wouldn't be talking to him.

I had to roll my eyes at myself. I was being absurd.

"You okay, baby sis?" Em asked as I walked past him.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Just a bit sad that I won't see Edward on Christmas."

"Who says you can't?" he asked, throwing an arm around my shoulders. "There's this wonderful invention called Skype. I'm sure the two of you can figure out a time to talk."

My eyes lit up at the idea. Sometimes big brother had good ideas, and this was one of them. I gave Em a hug and a kiss on the cheek as I thanked him, giggling when he made a disgusted face.

"Don't tell Jasper, but you're my favorite brother," I whispered to him.

"Yes! I knew it!" he shouted, punching the air with a fist.

Rolling my eyes at my goofy brother, I headed to my room and pulled out my phone. I sent Edward a text even though I knew his phone was shut off. I wanted him to have something waiting for him when he turned it back on.

I spent the rest of my day, holed up in my room, busy wrapping presents. I tended to wait until the last minute to shop for presents and with so many people in our family, it was sometimes hard to sneak away. I'd ordered some stuff online and had it delivered to the police station so that my nosy siblings couldn't get to them.

Of course, once I'd ordered Dad's gift, I'd had it sent to the Cullens so that Dad wouldn't open it. He was as bad as Emmett. He'd shake the damn thing until it broke, and I couldn't have that.

Yesterday, I'd gone and collected all the gifts so that I could begin wrapping them. Our sad tree had a total of two presents under it. I'd put out presents for Jasper, Rose, and Mom. Dad, Emmett, and Alice would have to wait. They were shakers and some of the stuff I had bought was fragile.

I had just finished wrapping up a new video game that I'd bought for Emmett when my phone buzzed. Grabbing it, I was thrilled to see that it was from Edward. It was a quick text saying that he'd arrived safely and he'd talk to me later.

I texted him back telling him that I loved him and was glad he'd had a safe flight.

It was silly how one little text from him, made my day. Boy, I had it bad. If we weren't careful, we'd end up acting like my mom and dad. All sweet and googly-eyed, unable to keep our hands or lips to ourselves. Not that that would be a bad thing.

My gaze fell to the wrapped box that was sitting on my bedside table. Edward and I had agreed to wait and exchange gifts when he got back. I'd had no idea what to get him and then last week, he'd been complaining because his watch had died. I checked with Esme and Carlisle to make sure they weren't getting one, before buying him an awesome _Doctor Who_ pocket watch.

Edward was a huge _Doctor Who_ fan. I'd watched a few episodes with him and it had appeal, but I wasn't too sure it was my thing. However, I was excited to give him his gift, and I hoped that he'd like it.

"Hey, Bells! Dinner's ready!" Dad hollered down the hall.

Stowing the gifts under my bed, I left my room and headed to the kitchen. I was thrilled to see several normal pizzas sitting on the counter.

After dinner, I headed back to my room to curl up with a book and read before bed. I'd just turned my light off when my phone rang.

"Edward! How are you?"

"Can I come home now?"

"Why? What's going on?" I asked, concerned by the anger and sadness in his voice.

"It's a nightmare. I've only been here for like five hours, and I'm ready to leave. My mother is being a pain because I didn't instantly bond with her husband. He creeps me out, and we have nothing in common. Not too mention the fact that he's like five years older than me."

"I'm sorry, babe," I told him, wishing more than anything that he was here with me.

"Then she told me that I wasn't allowed to spend my whole vacation on the phone talking to, and I quote, 'that girlfriend of yours'," he said with a sigh. "I have a feeling it's going to be a long week. She's hell bound and determined that I'm going to like Eleazar, and I think she's going to try and convince me to move down here."

"What?!" I screeched in a panic. He couldn't leave! He just couldn't!

"I'm not going anywhere, love. I'm happy in Forks."

I let out a sigh of relief. The thought of Edward not coming back terrified me far more than it should have.

We talked for an hour before we hung up. Apparently, his mother had wanted to talk to him. I told him to be nice. After all, it was only a week. He could survive that. I hoped.

* * *

"Bells! Wake up! It's Christmas, and I want to open presents!" Emmett hollered as he jumped up and down on my bed.

I groaned as I peeked at the clock. It was a quarter to seven. At least he let us sleep in thirty minutes this year.

"Get off me!" I growled. "I'll be up in a minute."

I flopped onto my back as he left the room and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. Grumbling, I crawled out of bed and threw on an old tattered robe that I'd have for years and shoved my feet into some slippers.

I headed into the living room where I found the whole family sprawled out across the sofas and floor.

Mom handed me a cup of hot chocolate, and I settled in on the recliner and watched as Emmett donned a Santa hat.

Before long, we were each surrounded by a small pile of presents. There were several rules for a Swan Christmas: the first being that each person gave one gift. The second rule was that we weren't to spend more than thirty dollars on one another. It saved everyone from getting upset if one person spent fifty bucks on one person but not another. It was a good rule. The only ones allowed to break that rule were Mom and Dad. The last rule was that each person took a turn opening their gifts. That way everyone could see what that person got.

Of course, Emmett had to go first. If he didn't, he pouted and whined, and Mom and Dad had figured it was just easier to give in then listen to him complain. The rest of us didn't care who went first as long as we got to open our gifts.

I watched as Emmett unwrapped his gift from me.

"Sweet! Thanks, Bells! I've been wanting this game!"

Twenty minutes later, I was the owner of a new pair of boots, a gift card to Amazon, a gift card to Barnes and Nobles, a new sweater, and a new mp3 player from Mom and Dad. My old mp3 had met it's demise after I'd dropped in a puddle. It wasn't an iPod, but I didn't care. As long as it played music, who cared what brand it was.

Once presents were all shown off and thanks were given, it was time for breakfast. It was the one holiday that Dad refused to let Mom cook. Waffles, eggs, and bacon for breakfast, and then a delicious ham for Christmas dinner.

After breakfast, I took all my stuff to room and decided to send Edward a text. I wasn't sure what his Christmas day plans were, and I didn't want to interrupt the time he spent with his mother, even if they weren't getting along.

_Merry Christmas! Have a great day! Call me when you can_, I texted.

I wasn't surprised when I didn't hear back right away. I figured I wouldn't.

I spent the rest of my morning putting songs onto my mp3 player, then headed into the living room to watch _A Christmas Story_ with my siblings. No matter how many times we watched it (and we watched it a lot), it never got old.

A buzzing noise from my phone distracted me, and I checked it to see that Edward had texted me back.

_Merry Christmas to you as well, love. Ill call you in a bit._

"Edward?" Jasper asked.

I nodded. "He's not having a very good time."

"Aw, that sucks. But, he'll be home soon."

"Yeah, I can't wait until next Saturday," I told him.

By the time nine p.m. rolled around and I hadn't heard back from Edward, I did begin to get a worried. He wasn't one to say that he was going to call and then not call. I knew that there was a good reason he hadn't, but his call was something that I'd been looking forward to all day.

Sighing, I headed to my room, turning my mp3 player on and curling up in bed with a book. At quarter to eleven, my phone rang, and I answered it immediately.

"Hey, love," he said, his voice sounding weary and tired.

"Hey. I was beginning to worry," I told him honestly.

"I'm sorry," he said. "It's been a crappy Christmas day. We had to go out to eat at some fancy restaurant for breakfast, there were no Christmas presents, and Mom stole my phone. She didn't want me to spend all day on it talking to you or Carlisle. I only now got off the phone with him."

"She stole your phone?" I growled.

"Yeah. Took it from my room while I was outside making nice with Eleazar. I got more than a little upset when I couldn't find it. Mom finally admitted that she had it, and I wasn't allowed to have it back until bedtime. I ended up calling Carlisle using her house phone, then he called her and let her have it. So, now she's really angry at me."

"Well, that's her own fault. She had no right to take your phone!" I said, furious that his mother was behaving so poorly. No wonder he hadn't wanted to visit her.

"I feel the same way. Anyway, I can only hope that the next few days go by quickly. We're supposed to go to the beach tomorrow. Hopefully, she'll behave," he said with a sigh.

"Well get some rest, and I'll see you on Saturday."

We exchanged I love yous before hanging up, and I hoped that the rest of his time with his mom went better.

* * *

The following Saturday afternoon, I was pacing around the house as I waited for Esme to pick me up. Carlisle had gotten called in, so it would be just the two of us picking Edward up.

Finally, a car honked, and I flew out of the house and down the steps.

"Ready to see Edward?" she asked once I climbed into her car.

"Oh, my God, yes! I've gone crazy not being able to talk or see him as often as I'm used to," I told her.

She gave me a smile and patted my hand. "It'll be nice to have him home."

The drive to Seattle went by quickly and soon we were waiting in the terminal for Edward to get off the plane.

The second I saw him, I felt whole again. I knew the minute he laid eyes on us because his face lit up and a beautiful smile crossed his face. He raced toward us and soon I was caught up in a huge hug.

I clung to him, never wanting to let go as I buried my face in his neck.

"God, I missed you," he said against the side of my head.

"Missed you, too," I said.

He pulled away, planted a kiss on my lips, then turned and gave Esme hug.

"Where's Dad?" he asked.

Esme explained that Carlisle had gotten called in but would be home later.

The whole ride back to Forks was spent with the two of us talking and holding hands, unable to stop touching one another. I felt slightly guilty that I was monopolizing him, but I'd missed him so much. Sure, we'd texted, talked, and Skyped once, but it hadn't been the same.

I knew that he was tired and needed time with his family, so we agreed to get together at his house the following morning.

"I'll stop by around ten or so, if that's okay?"

He gave me a sweet smile. "Of course. After all, we need to exchange gifts."

We kissed goodbye as Esme pulled into my driveway, and I watched as they drove off, feeling better than I had all week.

The following morning at quarter to ten, I stood on the Cullen porch with present in hand. The door was yanked open, and a gorgeous, slightly disheveled Edward greeted me.

"Good morning," I said, leaning in to place a kiss on his scruffy jaw.

"Morning," he said through a yawn.

I reached up and traced a dark circle under his eye and frowned. "Did you not sleep well?"

He shut the door and let me into the kitchen where some frozen waffles were lying on the counter.

"Not really. I've been on Florida time for a week, and I had trouble adjusting last night. That and I stayed up talking to Carlisle about Mom. It was a rough night."

I shoved him into a chair, set his present in front of him, then proceeded to pop a couple of frozen waffles into the toaster. I put the box back in the freezer, grabbed the butter from the fridge, and a paper plate from the cupboard.

He sat at the table, eyes blinking the sleep out of them, and eyeing the present I'd put in front of him.

"You can open it, you know," I said with a grin.

"I can't open mine until I give you yours. Give me a sec," he said before rushing out of the kitchen.

While he was getting my present, I plated the waffles and put them on the table with the butter and syrup. I sat down across from his seat and a few minutes later he returned with a small wrapped box. It was funny. Both of our gifts were roughly the same size.

"Eat first. We'll open presents when you're done," I told him.

After Edward was done with his waffles and had cleaned up, we headed to the living room with our presents in hand.

We sat down on the couch, looked at each other and tore into our presents. Tearing the paper off, I found a small black velvet box waiting for me. With trembling hands, I opened it and gasped. Inside was a beautiful silver necklace in the shape of a key with a sapphire in the middle.

"Edward! It's beautiful! It's too much—"

"Don't argue. Just accept it. It's the key to my heart," he said, and I just about melted into a puddle of Bella goo. The boy was too sweet, especially when his fingers shook as he fumbled with the clasp.

I let my hair back down after he'd put the necklace on me, and I looked down. It was gorgeous, and it made me feel all girly.

"Thank you," I said softly as I looked at him before placing a kiss on his lips.

"You're quite welcome. Now, let's see what you got me," he said, opening the box I'd put the pocket watch in.

"Holy crap! Bella, this is—this is amazing!" he exclaimed as he looked at the watch.

I was relieved that he liked it. I had been slightly worried that he would think it was cheesy. I'd had a hard time finding a gift for him, but when I had spotted it, I'd known it was perfect for him.

"I've always wanted a pocket watch. This is so cool!" he gushed.

"So you like it then?"

"Of course!" he said, pulling me in close for a kiss.

What had begun as an innocent kiss soon became far more. Teeth nibbled across lips, tongues tangled, and the sounds of moans filled the air.

It wasn't until a phone rang that we parted and realized just how caught up in the kiss we'd gotten.

At some point, he'd ended up hovering over me on the couch, our bodies pressed together, aching for more.

"Crap. Sorry, Bella. I didn't mean to get carried away," he said, running his hands through his hair as he sat up.

"No worries," I said, a bit out of a breath. In truth, I could've stopped him if I'd wanted to, and I hadn't.

"Shouldn't you answer the phone?" I asked as it continued to ring.

"Right. Phone," he muttered, and I giggled at how incoherent he was.

"Hello?" he said before handing the phone to me.

I was confused. If someone was calling for me why wouldn't they just call my cell?

"Hello?"

"Bells, it's Dad. I tried calling your cell, but it went straight to voicemail. I need you to come home," he said, sounding odd.

"What's wrong?" I asked, my voice hitching.

"Bella, please just come home."

I nodded although he couldn't see me, and told him that I'd been home right away.

"Something's wrong," I told Edward after I hung up. "Dad needs me home right away."

Edward didn't question me, just grabbed his coat and car keys, slipping his feet into a pair of shoes.

Ten minutes later, we pulled into my drive.

"Please come in with me," I begged as I got out of the car. He nodded and followed me up the steps and inside.

If Mom and Dad had a problem with Edward being there, they didn't mention it. Immediately, I noticed that neither Rose or Emmett were there, and I went on alert. It didn't help that Mom had obviously been crying, and Dad looked like he was about to.

"What's going on?" I asked as I sat down on the couch with Edward at my side.

"First off, I need you all to remain calm, okay?"

We nodded, but I felt anything but calm.

"Rose was attacked in Port Angeles. She and Emmett had separated to go into different stores, and she was attacked by three guys when she walked by an alleyway," he began, holding up a hand when Jasper, Alice, and I began to talk.

"Please, let me finish," he said, taking a deep breath. "Thankfully, Emmett realized that something was wrong and managed to get to her before they raped her, which was their intent. However, they did manage to beat her up despite her attempts to stop them. Emmett got a few hits in, but the boys did manage to get away."

I felt as if I'd been punched in the gut. My mind was full of questions. Whys and what circled around. Rose was one of the strongest, toughest girls I knew, and they'd attacked her.

"How badly is she hurt?" Jasper asked quietly.

Dad pinched the bridge of his nose as he answered. "A broken arm, some stitches, a couple of cracked ribs, and she's covered in bruises from where they grabbed her. Emmett has a broken hand that he got when he punched one of the guys."

I crossed my arms over my middle and curled up into a ball on the couch. Her injuries were worse than the ones James had given me. I'd only been bruised and my wrist sprained.

Tears leaked from my eyes at the thought of my sister being so horribly victimized. Sure, I knew it could have been worse, but it was still pretty bad.

I felt Edward's arms come around me and pull me in close and I collapsed into them, grateful that he was there.

Jasper and Alice were visibly shaken as well, particularly Jasper. He and Rose had already been through so much.

A few minutes later, Edward and I were driving behind Mom and Dad on the way to the hospital. Edward had called Carlisle and let him know that he'd be home later after he explained what had happened.

I grimaced as we walked through the doors of the hospital. I hated hospitals. I hated the way they smelled.

We followed Mom and Dad down a hallway until we stopped outside a room with a door slightly ajar. Dad knocked and peeked his head around the door before opening it.

I tried to swallow the gasp that erupted from my throat when I saw Rose. She was propped up in the hospital bed, her face bruised and swollen. Her left arm was in a bright purple cast, and I could see stitches on her head.

I just about broke down, but Edward's hand in mine kept me calm. I rushed over to her and hugged her as gently as I could.

"Oh, Rose."

She shook her head, wincing slightly. "Please, don't cry, Bells. If you do, I'll start, and I'm tired of crying."

I nodded, doing my best to blink back the tears.

I looked over at Emmett who was sitting in a chair pulled next to the bed and noticed that he also had a bright blue cast.

"Oh, look. You guys match," I said, trying to lighten the mood.

Emmett gave me a grin, although his eyes were sad. "I look good in blue, baby sis. It brings out my gorgeous eyes."

"Sure it does," I teased.

Later, Emmett and I left the room to go get some hot chocolate and coffee for everyone. It was when we were in the elevator that he broke down. One minute we're talking, the next he's sobbing his heart out, which led to me crying. By the time we got off the elevator, we were both a sobbing, snotty mess.

"I could've lost her," he said into my hair as I hugged him.

"But you didn't. Remember that. She's going to be okay, physically anyways."

He nodded as he sniffled.

"You'd better not be getting snot in my hair," I told him, grinning when he made noises like he was blowing his nose.

"Nah, I wouldn't do that to you," he said with a grin.

Fifteen minutes later, we returned to Rose's room with our hands filled with cups of hot liquids. Edward and I stayed until a little after seven. Rose would be coming home the next day, so I didn't feel too guilty leaving.

"I'll be okay. Mom, Dad, and Emmett are staying with me. Get that boy home before he gets in trouble," Rose teased with a sad smile.

"His dad knows where he is. We can stay if you want."

She shook her head. "There's too many people in here."

I understood that. After James had attacked me, I'd just wanted time to myself. Time to be angry and mean without hurting anyone's feelings by lashing out at them.

Edward and I gave her hugs and left the hospital. The drive back to Forks was quiet, and I could see Edward shooting me worried glances.

"I'm okay," I told him, giving his hand a squeeze. "I promise. I'm just worried about Rose and Emmett. And I hope to hell they catch the assholes that hurt them."

"They will. They got DNA from under Rose's fingernails. They'll find the bastards," he growled.

Later that night as I lay in bed, I found that I couldn't sleep. I was too keyed up, too upset and worried.

I had a feeling that James somehow had something to do with the attack, but I couldn't prove it. It was just a feeling that I'd gotten. He had it out for Emmett, and what better way to get back at Emmett than to go after Rose. If something happened to Rose, it would destroy Emmett. Today was evidence of that. The last time I'd seen Emmett cry was right after they'd moved in with us. Seeing him cry today had nearly torn me apart.

I eventually fell asleep hoping beyond hope that Dad was able to catch the guys that had hurt my family.

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**a/n: Yeah, so this chapter took an unexpected turn. I hadn't planned Rose getting hurt, it just wrote itself that way, so I went with it.**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing! It's super appreciated.**

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**EPOV**

I looked around the room that my mother had deemed as mine as I set my suitcase on the bed. It was painted a bright, in-your-face orange. I'd only been in the room a few seconds, and I was already getting a headache.

The walls had pictures of surfers and beaches as well as a surfboard propped up in the corner. My mother was not an interior designer by any means and had gone overboard with the whole surfer theme.

Crossing over to the dresser, I pulled open some drawers and began putting my stuff away. I've never been one of those people who could live out of a suitcase. I always have to unpack my clothes.

Once I was done with that, I headed down the stairs and found my mom in the kitchen. She was busy making something in the blender that required lots of alcohol. I was guessing margaritas.

"Oh, Eddie, I'm so glad to have you here!" she said, giving me a hug. "Why don't you go out on the deck. Eleazar's out there preparing the grill. I figured we'd grill out some shrimp for an early dinner. Does that sound good?"

"Sure, Mom," I told her as I made my way out the sliding glass doors.

The backyard was large, but the huge pool took up most of it. There were some palm trees, a grill, some chairs and lounges. It was nice, I guess.

I stood there not having a clue as to what to say to Eleazar. I tried making small talk but quickly gave up when he didn't respond to anything I said.

"So … uh," I began, only to be interrupted by him.

"Look kid, I know Carmen wants us to make nice and all, but I don't really care. I don't do the whole kid thing."

_Probably because he was still a kid himself_, I thought.

A few minutes later, I excused myself and went inside and up to my room. I grabbed my phone that I'd put on the charger and scrolled through it. I had a few texts from Bella which I was eager to respond to.

I was sitting on the side of the bed responding to Bella when Mom came in.

"I thought you were outside with Eleazar."

"I was, but we don't have a lot to talk about. Besides, I needed to see if my phone was charged."

She crossed her arms over her chest before speaking. "I won't let you hide up here your whole vacation and text that girlfriend of yours. It won't kill you not to talk to her for a few hours. Now put the phone away and join us outside."

I wanted to say something nasty to her, but I didn't. Sighing, I sent Bella a quick text letting her know that I'd talk to her tonight, and I put my phone down on the nightstand.

The whole afternoon and evening was tense, but Mom pretended that everything was fine. It was obvious to me that Eleazar didn't want me there, and I didn't want to be there. We pretty much ignored each other and stayed out of each other's way.

Of course, I was the one that my mother yelled at. She was mad that I wasn't attempting to get along with Eleazar, but I just couldn't. The guy was like five years older than me, but he had an attitude a mile wide.

"He doesn't like me, and I don't like him. You can't force me to like him," I told her.

"Why are you being so difficult? I should never have let you go live with your father."

I looked at her in disbelief. "You didn't _let_ me go live with him. You forced me to. You shipped me off like I was a package."

She looked affronted. "How dare you say such things to me! Did you father tell you that? I just bet he did."

Shoving my chair away from the table, I stood up and headed upstairs, ignoring her calling for me. I slammed the door to the room shut and locked it. I was seething.

With trembling hands, I snatched up my phone and called the one person I knew who could calm me down.

"Edward! How are you?" Bella's sweet voice asked.

"Can I come home now?" I asked her with a sigh.

"Why? What's going on?"

I explained that Mom was upset because I wasn't bonding with her new husband, and how my mother didn't want me to spend my week talking to Bella. We talked for a while more before a knock on the door and my mother's voice interrupted us.

After exchanging I love yous, I hung up the phone and unlocked the door.

"We need to have a talk, Edward," she said, her voice stern. "Let's go. Downstairs."

I shoved my phone into my pocket only to have her tell me to leave it in my room. Sighing, I set my phone on the nightstand and followed her down the stairs. I didn't know where Eleazar was, but I couldn't find it in myself to care at the moment.

I sat down on the couch as Mom sat in a recliner across from me.

"I'm worried about you, Edward. You've never lashed out like this before, and I'm concerned about where this attitude is stemming from. Perhaps living with Carlisle isn't what's best for you. Eleazar and I have discussed it, and I think that you should move here. You can start school when the semester starts in January."

My mouth dropped open as I stared at her. _She couldn't possibly be serious?_

"No!" I shouted, getting up from the couch.

"Edward—"

"No! I'm not leaving Forks. I've got friends and a girlfriend. Dad and I are getting along, and Esme's terrific. I'm not leaving all of that so that I can start over again. No thanks."

"See? This is what I'm talking about! Before you went to live with Carlisle, you would have never acted like this. I think those friends and that girlfriend of yours are bad influence. You'll be much better off here."

I stood there staring at her in disbelief. She wasn't even listening to a word I'd said.

"You can't make me move," I told her. "I'm seventeen. You try and force me to move, and I'll fight it. You know, maybe it would be best if I just went back to Forks tomorrow. I'm sure Dad would be more than willing to get my ticket changed for me."

"Edward—"

"No, Mom. Just no. I'm tired, and I'm going to bed. I don't want to cut my vacation time with you short, but I will. Can't we just enjoy the time that we have together?"

She scowled before nodding and agreeing.

Telling her goodnight, I headed back upstairs and climbed into bed. I always had a hard time falling asleep in a new place, and this was no different. I tossed and turned before finally giving up.

I reached over to grab my phone and check the time, but I didn't feel it. Turning the lamp on, I didn't see my phone. Getting out of bed, I searched high and low for the damn thing but couldn't find it.

I knew that I had left it on the bedside table because Mom had made me. The only answer was that someone had taken it. And seeing as how I'd been talking to Mom, the only other person who could've taken it was Eleazar. Although, I couldn't figure out for the life of me, why he'd want my phone.

I stopped outside of Mom and Eleazar's room and knocked on the door. I didn't care that it was late, I wanted my freaking phone.

"What Edward?" Mom asked in a tired voice.

"Where's my phone?" I asked through the door. "I know that Eleazar took it, and I want it back!"

"I told Eleazar to take it from your room," she said, coming to the door and cracking it open. "I don't want you to spend the rest of your time here on the phone. This way you won't be able to."

I was seething. She had no right to take my personal property, and I told her so.

"Dad bought that phone for me. If you want me to stay for the rest of the week, then you need to give it back. If not, I'll use your house phone and have Dad change my ticket," I threatened.

"Go to bed, Edward," she said, shutting the door and locking it.

I couldn't believe her. _What had happened to my mother?_ She claimed that I was the one who was acting out of character, but she was the one whose whole attitude had changed. She'd never been like that before.

Walking down the hall, I spotted a cordless phone in a charger on a table in the hallway. Grabbing it, I headed back to the my room and quickly called Carlisle.

"Hello?"

"Dad, it's Edward."

"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

I explained how awful everything was and I'd only been there one day. I told him that Mom had stolen my phone and that I wanted to come home.

"Let me talk to Carmen, and if you still want to come home, I'll change your ticket."

I hung up after he promised to call me back. I sat on the bed and waited impatiently for some sort of news.

About twenty minutes later, my mother barged into my room and tossed me my phone. I don't know what Carlisle had said to her, but it had obviously angered her.

"There was no need to call Carlisle," she snarled.

"You stole my phone! Besides, I want to go home. Coming here was a bad idea."

She looked as if I'd slapped her.

"But you just got here!"

"Yeah, and in the time I've been here we've argued and you've stolen my phone. Why would I want to stay?" I asked her.

She let out a sigh, bidding me a goodnight and closing my door.

Grumbling, I checked my phone before crawling back into bed. My sleep was restless and when I woke up the next day, I was exhausted.

* * *

Thankfully, the rest of the week had gone by pretty quickly and there had been no more arguments. Mom had even apologized, but I wasn't too sure she meant it. She didn't mention me moving in with her again, but she did drop little hints here and there. I ignored them, not wanting to fight with her.

"Maybe you can come down for the summer?" she suggested as we drove to the airport.

"Maybe," I said, although there was no way I was spending the whole summer with her.

"I'm sorry the week started off so badly. I just missed you so much, and it hit me all at once."

I nodded not saying anything.

I was pretty quiet as we waited for my plane to start boarding. Once they announced that we were allowed to board, I gave Mom a hug and told her I'd call her once I got into Seattle.

She looked so sad as I walked away, but I was still a bit angry with her. It certainly hadn't been a great vacation but it was over, and I'd be seeing my girl in about six hours or so.

The flight was full of turbulence and the chatter of an elderly woman who was sitting next to me. I was ecstatic when the flight finally landed.

I grabbed my bag and walked off the plane, a smile lighting up my face when I saw Bella and Esme. I ran toward them, not caring if people were staring at me. The second I was within arms reach of Bella, I dropped my bag and wrapped her up in a huge hug. God, I'd missed her.

After kissing my girl, I let go of her and gave Esme a huge hug. Esme told me that Carlisle had gotten called into work, but that he'd be home later in the evening. I was fine with that.

As much as I wanted to spend time with my girl, I was exhausted and just wanted to head home. Bella and I agreed to get together in the morning and exchange gifts. I was excited to give her my gift, yet I was extremely nervous as well. I'd never boughten jewelry for a girl before, so I'd asked Esme for help and she'd been more than willing.

Once home, I dropped my stuff on my bed and told Esme I was going to nap until Carlisle got home.

I must have passed out the second I hit my bed because a few hours later Esme was waking me up. I normally never napped, and I groggily made my way downstairs.

Carlisle gave me a hug and then we sat down to exchange gifts.

I'd had no idea what to get Carlisle or Esme, so I'd asked the Swan family for help. Charlie had suggested that I get Carlisle some fishing gear, since they had plans to go ice fishing. So, I'd gotten Carlisle a bait and tackle box with a bunch of stuff in it. As for Esme, I'd settled on a book that she'd seen on some talk show and a gift certificate to a floral shop.

Apparently, I hadn't done too shabby in the gift department because they had both thanked me for their gifts and seemed to like them.

Carlisle handed me a rather large box, and I eagerly tore into the paper.

"Holy crap!" I cried out when I saw what it was. It was the latest box set of _Doctor Who_. I about died. It was fan-freaking-tastic.

"This is awesome! Thanks so much!" I told them.

After a dinner of pizza, Carlisle asked me to talk with him in his study. I followed him into the room, thinking I might be in trouble as he shut the door behind him.

"Relax, son. You're not in trouble," he said as he sat down in the chair behind his desk.

I sat down across from him and waited for him to start talking.

"How was the rest of your vacation?" he asked, resting his elbows on the desk.

I shrugged. "It was okay. Mom apologized, and we got along okay after that. Although, she kept dropping hints about me moving in with her. I told her that I wasn't leaving Forks. I like it here."

We talked for a while longer before calling it a night. As I lay in bed, I was so glad to be home.

* * *

It had been an emotional day. It had started off fantastically. Bella and I had exchanged gifts, both of us loving the gifts that we'd gotten. We'd made out and gotten a little carried away, and then Charlie had called. When he'd told Bella to get home right away, all kinds of worst case scenarios had gone through my head. I'd thought perhaps someone had died.

While no one had died, a horrible event had occurred.

I wasn't as close to Rose as I was to Emmett and Jasper, but I still liked her and knew she'd do anything for her family. So, to sit there and hear Charlie tell us that she'd been brutally attacked was horrifying even though he'd assured us that she was going to be okay.

Bella had wanted to go to the hospital to see her, and I was more than willing to drive us there. She was barely holding it together which was completely understandable.

We spent a few hours at the hospital, visiting with Rose and Emmett before leaving. I had to get back home, but I told Bella that she could stay if she wanted. I could tell she was tempted until Rose told her that she wanted to be alone for a while.

The ride home was quiet, and she confessed her worries to me. I tried to assure that the guys would be caught. Rose had done a hell of a job scratching one of them up, so the cops had been able to get DNA scrapings.

After dropping Bella off, I headed home and let Carlisle and Esme know what Rose's injuries were and that she would be okay, physically anyways.

"I know a good therapist if she should need someone to talk to. I'll let Charlie know," Carlisle said.

I nodded then bid them a goodnight. I was tired, but I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep. All I could think was what if that was Bella. _What if Bella had been the walking down that street and had gotten attacked?_

What if, what if, what if. The what ifs would get to you if you let them.

Sighing, I rolled over in my bed and stared at the wall before grabbing my phone. I sent Bella a quick text telling her I loved her, just needing her to know. A few seconds later, I got an I love you back, and I felt myself settle down.

I woke up the next morning, feeling slightly rested. All night, I'd had dreams that Bella had been hurt, and I couldn't get to her.

Rubbing my eyes, I hopped in the shower then headed downstairs for breakfast.

Esme had left me a note letting me know that she and Carlisle were at work and for me to let them know if I went anywhere.

I didn't have any plans for the day, and I was unsure if Bella wanted to hang out. Thankfully, she did. She called me a little after eleven and told me that Rose and Emmett were back home and both were craving some sort of normalcy. I agreed to come over and less than twenty minutes later, I was parking in the Swan's driveway.

Renee greeted me and told me everyone was hanging out in Emmett and Jasper's room. I headed up the stairs and found everyone gathered on the beds and floor of their room. The TV was on and a movie was playing.

"Hey, guys," I said quietly as I entered the room.

Everyone looked up as I walked in, and Bella got up off the floor to give me a hug.

I hugged her back, then turned to face Rose.

"How are you feeling?"

She shrugged. "Angry, pissed off, scared. I'm just glad to be home. I feel safe here," she told me, leaning against Emmett who had an arm wrapped around her.

We spent the day watching movies and just relaxing. It seemed that it was exactly what Rose and Emmett needed. They seemed less tense by the time Renee called us all down for dinner.

As we made our way down the stairs, I tried to give Bella an excuse for why I couldn't stay.

"No way, buster. You're going to suffer along with the rest of us," she said, poking me in the stomach.

"Fine," I said with a sigh.

We all sat down around the Swan's kitchen table and watched as Renee dished up some sort of gumbo from a huge pot.

A huge bowl full of whatever it was, was sat in front of me, and I slowly picked up my spoon. It smelled pretty good, if not a bit spicy. A glance around the table showed everyone watching me as I took the first bite.

It was surprisingly good. A bit too spicy, but other than that it wasn't bad.

"This is good," I told Renee causing her to laugh.

"There's no need to sound so surprised. My cooking is always good," she said, causing Emmett to almost choke on the soda he was drinking. "Right?"

I grinned as they all nodded in agreement.

After dinner, I said goodbye to the Swans and armed with a Tupperware full of gumbo, I headed out the door.

I was unlocking my car when Rose came out.

"Edward?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you thank your dad for me? The therapist he recommended is really nice. I talked to her earlier this morning. Emmett, too."

I gave her a smile. "Sure, I'll let him know."

Two days later, on New Years Eve, Esme and Carlisle let me know that they invited Bella and her family to celebrate with us. I was cool with that. I wanted nothing more than to kiss my girl at midnight.

Esme woke me up super early and quickly put Carlisle and I to work, cleaning the house. Not that the house was that messy, but she was in rare form. I don't think she'd been this crazy when we'd had Bella's family over for Thanksgiving.

"Why is Esme acting so crazy?" I asked Carlisle as we took the garbage out.

He dragged the garbage can to the end of the drive before turning to face me.

"We're getting married this afternoon," he calmly told me.

"Seriously?" I asked, a bit shocked at how calm he was.

"Yep. That's cool with you, right?" he asked, and I snickered at him using the word cool.

"Of course. Is that why you guys invited the Swans over?"

Carlisle nodded. "Yeah. John, Reverend Weber, is coming over around three. We're just going to have a short ceremony in the living room once everyone gets here."

"I assume that I have to dress up?"

"If I do, then you do," he told me with a grin.

Reverend Weber showed up at three on the dot, and a little before four, the Swans showed up. Apparently, Esme had told them all to dress up, and I was glad to see I wasn't the only one stuck wearing a tie.

"Man," Emmett grumbled. "Why did I have to dress up?"

"Because you're about to be witness to a wedding," Esme said from behind him, her response causing gasps and sounds of congratulations.

She was dressed in a pretty pale pink dress and had some flowers in her hand. She looked real pretty, and I told her so, blushing when she thanked me and kissed my cheek.

Ten minutes later, we were all congregated in the living room watching as Reverend Weber officiated the ceremony. It only took a handful of minutes before Carlisle and Esme were married.

I'd always thought that weddings were long and boring but not this one. This one was quick and easy. No mess, no fuss, and if I ever got married, I wanted a quick wedding like this one.

Apparently, Renee and Charlie had known ahead of time about the wedding because they presented Carlisle and Esme with a nice cake.

It was a great way to spend New Year's Eve and later that evening, we all sat around watching the TV as the countdown to the new year began.

As the countdown began, I pulled Bella closer to me, ready for the ball to drop and the new year to begin.

"3...2...1! Happy New Year!" we all hollered, and I leaned down to plant a kiss on Bella.

All around us, couples were kissing and celebrating the ringing in of the new year, and I knew, without a doubt, that it was going to be a great year.

...

**a/n: Despite this chapter being a bit short, a lot happened. We got to see Edward's time with his mother, see a wedding, and celebrate the new year. Not too shabby. **


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing! I'm sending off the first chapter of my new story (still untitled) to my beta this weekend. I hope to start posting it within the next two weeks. **

* * *

The beginning of the year had started off decently enough. Esme and Carlisle had gotten married in a sweet but simple wedding, and the Port Angeles police had arrested one of the guys that had attacked Rose.

Not only had the asshole been bragging about it to his friends, but his DNA matched the scrapings that had been taken from Rose's nails.

Two days after celebrating New Year's, Dad, Rose, and Emmett drove to Port Angeles where Rose and Emmett positively identified the guy. His name was Marcus Riley, and he was wanted in connection to several rapes and sexual assaults throughout Washington. Then Dad learned something even more interesting. Turned out that Marcus was friends with and had been arrested with James once before.

Dad hung around while the police questioned Rose's attacker and then Dad asked him if he knew James' whereabouts. Marcus denied knowing where James was, but he let it slip that James' father had a hunting cabin a few miles north of Forks. That was all the information Dad needed, so after dropping Rose and Emmett off at home, he and his deputy headed toward the cabin.

Mom, the siblings, Edward, and I all hung around the house trying to occupy ourselves. A little after seven that evening, Dad came home looking tired and a bit defeated.

He sat down in his recliner and gave a sigh before explaining that James wasn't at the cabin.

"It looks like someone's been living there, but we can't be sure if he's still staying there or not. Sadly, we don't have the manpower to do surveillance on the place. That being said, Mark is going to keep an eye on the place, since he lives out that way. He said that he'd drive by every so often."

I hated that James seemed to be able to evade the law.

"Rose, Emmett? Riley gave up the names of his two friends that were with him. The Port Angeles police have warrants for their arrest. Once their brought in, you'll have to identify them and once charged, the legal process will begin. I'm not going to lie. It's going to be long and tedious at times."

They both nodded in understanding.

Rose's therapist had told her that sometimes the hardest part was the trial. Defense attorneys would try and make her out to be a loose girl who was a tease and whatnot. Of course, Megan's Law would prevent any previous sexual history being brought up, but Rose's therapist said the defense attorneys would do anything they could to make her seem like she was leading the boys on.

I knew that once the trial began, things would be difficult for Rose and Emmett, but we would be there for them. They were there for me when I was dealing with James.

* * *

The month of January passed by quickly and soon we were into February and Valentine's Day was coming up soon. Everyone was making a big deal about it, but not me. I honestly didn't care for it. It was just a marketing ploy by the stores to get you to buy flowers, cards, and candy.

"Has Edward asked you to the dance yet?" Alice asked me as we made our way to class one morning.

I shook my head causing her to stop dead in her tracks.

"What the hell?! What's wrong with him?"

I rolled my eyes at her outraged tone. I knew that if Jasper hadn't asked her, she'd have flipped out on him, but I didn't much care for dances.

"It's no big deal, Al," I told her, and she stared at me as if I'd grown an extra head.

"Of course it's a big deal!" she screeched, causing me to wince. "Valentine's Day is a huge deal!"

"Not to me, you know that."

"But—"

I covered her mouth with my hand and shook my head. "I'm not like you and Rose. I'm not all about Valentine's Day. When I say it's no big deal, I mean it, so let it go. Okay?"

She nodded, pouting after I pulled my hand away. Thankfully, she dropped the subject, but it seemed to be all that the school was talking about.

I was putting away my books in my locker before lunch when I overheard Lauren talking to Jane and some of her friends, if you could call them that.

I wasn't trying to listen to them, but I couldn't help but overhear. Especially once Edward's name was mentioned.

"He hasn't asked her yet?" Jane asked.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lauren shake her head.

"Nope, and you know what that means? He's going to break up with her. If they were really as together as she claims, then he would've asked her to the dance by now," Lauren said.

I scoffed at their foolish theories. They truly were idiots, the whole lot of them.

Slamming my locker shut, I headed toward the cafeteria, ignoring the inane chattering of the group behind me.

After grabbing a ham and cheese sandwich and some fries, I headed toward my table. The rest of the family was already there, but I frowned when I didn't see Edward.

"Mrs. Shapiro wanted to talk to him for a second. He'll be here soon," Jasper told me, noting my worry.

Sure enough, a few minutes later, I saw Edward make his way through the line, a scowl on his gorgeous face.

"What's wrong?" I asked as he sat down next to me with a huff.

"Lauren," he spat.

"Enough said," I told him.

"Stupid delusional girl!" he growled as he tore apart the orange that was in his hands. "I don't know how many times I have to tell her that I'm not interested!"

I took the mangled orange out of his hands and handed him a napkin. Sighing, he thanked me as he wiped his hands.

"I'm sorry. She just pisses me off to no end."

"I know, babe. I know."

Over lunch, Edward told us how Lauren had caught him as he was leaving Mrs. Shapiro's classroom and had asked him to the Valentine's Day dance. Of course, he politely declined, reminding her yet again, that he had a girlfriend.

"Not that she listened. She just talked right over me, like I hadn't said a word," he said, setting down the slice of pizza he'd been nibbling on.

Unfortunately, there was nothing that either of us could do that would convince Lauren that Edward wasn't interested in her.

By the end of the day, I was more than ready to head home. I'd had to listen to Jessica and Lauren gossiping and making comments about how Edward was obviously breaking up with me. I knew it wasn't true, but that didn't stop their talk from being more than annoying.

"I'll see you later?" I asked, giving Edward a kiss on the lips.

"Can't. I've got to go to dinner with Esme and Carlisle. I guess Esme's brother is in town."

I didn't bother to hide my disappointment.

"I'm sorry, sweet girl," he said, cupping my cheek in his hand. "I'd get out of it if I could."

"No, it's fine," I told him, kissing him one more time before getting into Emmett's Jeep.

Work that night was slow enough that it allowed me to work on all the homework that I had. I couldn't figure out why all of our teachers seemed to be piling homework on us, but they were.

"Any plans for Valentine's Day?" Mrs. Stanley asked me later that evening.

"I don't think so. Edward hasn't mentioned anything."

"Hmm. Maybe he's going to surprise you."

I shrugged. "Maybe."

It was more of the same when I got home. Mom, Alice, and Rose all wanted to know if Edward had said anything to me about Valentine's. Sighing, I told them no, yet again.

"But Bella, it's in two days!" Alice whined, and I finally snapped.

"Enough!" I roared causing my sisters to cringe. "I'm so freaking tired of everyone making such a big deal about this stupid holiday! I've never been a fan of it, and I never will be. I don't care if I go to the stupid dance or not, and I don't care if Edward and I do something romantic. I just don't freaking care!"

"She's upset because Edward hasn't asked her to the dance," Alice whispered to Mom.

I'd never wanted to hit my sister before, but I was getting there.

"No, Alice, I'm not. Don't presume to know things that you know nothing about," I snapped before stomping down the hall to my room.

I rarely got mad at my siblings, but Alice was beginning to drive me nuts. It pissed me off that she assumed that I was upset because Edward hadn't asked me to the dance. I wasn't. I could care less about the stupid dance. I was pissed off because everyone else was making such a huge freaking deal about it.

I slept poorly that night and was still in a bad mood when I woke up. Thankfully, Emmett and Rose were smart enough to keep their mouths shut and leave me to be bitchy in peace. The ride to Edward's house was quiet, and even seeing his beautiful, smiling face didn't help my mood.

"Hey. You okay?" he asked as he slid into the seat next to me.

I shook my head. "I'm annoyed with Alice and all this Valentine's crap. Everyone seems to making a BFD about it, and I just don't see why."

Edward reached over and took my hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"I don't get the appeal either. It's all a marketing ploy."

"Exactly!" I exclaimed, glad that he got it.

"That being said, I would like you to go to the dance with me on Friday."

I paused before answering, and I saw his face fall at my hesitance.

"It's not that I don't want to go, I just—" I paused for a moment to gather my thoughts. "I don't like dances. I don't like getting all girly, putting on makeup, and making a fool of myself while attempting to dance. It's not my thing."

The car was eerily quiet after my little speech, and I was terrified that Edward was mad at me. He didn't let go of my hand, but he didn't say anything either.

We arrived at school and once in the hallway, Edward mumbled a goodbye, and I felt my heart sink.

"I fucked up, didn't I?" I asked, turning to Rose.

She gave me a small smile. "I think he really wanted to take you to the dance, but now he probably feels like if you go, it'll be under duress."

I groaned, tempted to bang my head against the locker closest to me.

"How do I fix this?"

"Talk to him, Bells," Emmett told me, throwing an arm around me and giving me a hug.

I barely remembered anything that went on in my classes. I was too busy worrying that I'd screwed everything up with Edward.

Lunch came around and after grabbing an apple, I headed toward our table. Edward was already there, and he gave me a small smile as I sat next to him. I returned it, but nothing was said between the two of us. I could see my family shooting worried glances at us and at one another, and I figured Rose and Emmett must have filled Jasper and Alice in on what had happened.

As the bell rang, I got up to toss my half-eaten apple, and Edward's hand reached to touch my arm.

"Can we talk?" he asked quietly.

I nodded, and we walked outside, neither of us saying anything. I prayed that he wasn't taking me outside to breakup with me.

We came to a picnic table underneath a large tree, and we sat down across from one another, neither of us said anything. Then we both began to speak at the same time, breaking the silence.

"Go ahead," he told me.

I took a deep breath before blurting out, "Please don't break up with me!"

That wasn't what I'd planned on saying, but that was what came out.

Edward looked stunned by my words. Reaching across the table, he took my hands in his and squeezed them.

"Bella, I love you. I'm not going to break up with you. I'm just a bit disappointed that you don't want to go to the dance."

I hung my head. "I'm sorry, Edward. I had no idea that you wanted to go so badly. I hate dances. I always feel awkward and out of place."

"Then we won't go," he said. "I'm sorry that I was so standoffish this morning. I was taken back by your feelings regarding dances. Had I known, I never would've suggested we go."

I shook my head at him, squeezing his hands this time. "Don't apologize. I should have told you about it in a nicer way. Alice has been bugging me all week about it, and I finally snapped. We can go to the dance if you really want to."

It was his turn to shake his head. "No. I don't want to do anything you aren't comfortable with."

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Yes. We'll find something else to do, okay?"

I agreed and smiled when he stood up and came over to me, wrapping me up in his arms. I clung to him, pressing kisses into his neck, and told him that I loved him.

The rest of school went quickly as did work. Edward came over to hang out and asked if he could drive me to school in the morning. I quickly agreed.

A little after seven the next morning, Mom let Edward into the house where I found him trying to politely decline one of Mom's protein shakes. Lord only knew what she put in it, so I thought I'd better rescue him.

"Morning," I told him, pressing a quick kiss to his lips.

"Good morning. You ready?" he asked.

"Yep," I told him, saying goodbye to Mom and grabbing my bag.

As I went to get into his car, I saw a small box sitting on the seat. I picked up and turned to him.

"What's this?" I asked.

He looked a bit sheepish as he rubbed his hand on the back of his neck. "Now, don't get mad at me. I know that Valentine's is nothing but a marketing ploy, but I got you something."

"Edward," I said with a sigh.

"Sorry, love. I couldn't help it."

I rolled my eyes and climbed into the car, the small box on my lap.

"Are you going to open it?" he asked after he got behind the wheel.

Slowly, I untied the ribbon and opened the box. I hoped that he hadn't spent a lot of money on me.

Nestled inside the small box was a gift card to the bookstore in Port Angeles. Now, this was the kind of gift I didn't have a problem accepting.

"Thank you!" I said, leaning across the console and kissing his lips.

"I take it you approve?"

"Very much so."

We arrived at school, met up with my siblings, then headed inside. It looked like Cupid had puked all over the hallways. Hearts, ribbons, and an obscene amount of pink were spread all over the place, and it was enough to give you indigestion.

"This is ridiculous," Edward whispered to me.

"No kidding, and I can guarantee that Alice had something to do with it."

Alice was the head of the decorating committee for all things school related, and I had no doubt that all this lovey-dovey crap was her doing.

It seemed that the whole school was caught up in the spirit of love. Classes were interrupted by students delivering flowers and lollipops, and the teachers finally gave up trying to teach us anything.

Roses and cards covered lockers up and down the hallways, and I grimaced when I saw several flowers decorating my locker. Snatching them off, I looked at the cards attached to them and saw that they were from various boys that I had no interest in.

Sighing, I tossed the flowers in the closest garbage bin and made my way to the cafeteria.

"Hey, sweet girl," a velvet voice crooned in my ear.

Smiling, I turned around to find Edward behind me.

"Hey, handsome. How's your day going?"

He made a face. "I'm sick of all these damn flowers and cards. I could barely get into my locker there were so damn many on there."

I knew the poor boy's locker would've gotten covered in flowers. The idiots at this school didn't seem to care that he was taken. Although, if they thought a few flowers were going to win his affection they were more than wrong.

During lunch, I noticed Edward and Alice were whispering, sliding a piece of paper back and forth. I leaned over Edward to try and get a better look, but he quickly snatched the paper away and stuck it in his pocket.

"What'cha talking about?" I asked, curious as to what they were up to, and they were definitely up to something.

"Nothing," they both said.

I narrowed my eyes, but let it go.

* * *

Friday rolled around, and I fully expected Alice to start bugging me again about the dance. When she didn't, I began to suspect something was off.

"Okay, what's going on?" I asked her as we ate breakfast.

"What do you mean?" she asked, trying to look innocent.

Pointing my fork at her I said, "You're up to something. You haven't bugged me once about the dance or dresses or anything. Spill."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," she said before leaving the kitchen.

I spent all day keeping an eye on her and more than once, I caught Alice and Edward talking in hushed tones. I hunted Emmett down and questioned him because I knew that he couldn't keep a secret to save his life.

"I don't have a clue what's going on, Bells. You know no one tells me anything."

I even asked Rose, but she claimed that to have no idea. She was lying. I was sure of it.

After school, Edward took me home, and I was more than surprised that we had the house to ourselves. We hung out in the living room watching cheesy movies and making out, when Edward got a text. He read then, turned to me.

"Mind if we head to my house?" he asked.

"Not at all. Is everything okay?"

"Yep. Everything's perfect," he said with a grin and a mischievous look in his eye.

Less than fifteen minutes later, we pulled up to his house, and I could hear music coming from inside.

He opened the door to the house and a large banner hanging from the ceiling stated, _Welcome to the Swan/Cullen Valentine's Day Dance_.

I turned to look at Edward, completely shocked.

"I hope you don't mind, but I figured since you didn't want to go to the school dance, perhaps you wouldn't mind a dance here at home."

"Is this what you and Alice have been whispering about?"

"Guilty as charged," he said, a light blush on his cheeks. "Are you upset with me?'

I shook my head. I was a bit floored to be honest.

Moments later, Alice and Rose came from the living room and snatched me up. They dragged me upstairs to Edward's room where a beautiful blue dress lay on his bed.

I turned around to ask Alice a question, but she spoke before I could.

"Please don't argue with me. Please. Edward really wanted to dance with you and since we knew that you wouldn't go to the school dance, we decided to have our own private dance. Please just put the dress on and Rose and I will do your hair and makeup."

I nodded, still in a bit of shock over the whole thing, and quickly stripped out of my jeans and sweater. Moments later, I was wearing a dark blue dress with lace, and I was amazed at how much I loved it.

"Sit," Rose said, pointing to the edge of the bed.

I complied and within minutes, my hair was straightened and makeup was applied. I had to admit, my sisters knew what they were doing.

Alice handed me a pair of kitten heels which I slipped onto my feet, and I was deemed good to go.

With Alice and Rose behind me, I slowly headed down the stairs, grasping tightly onto the railing so that I wouldn't fall and make a fool of myself.

I saw Edward standing at the bottom of the stairs, and he'd obviously changed at some point. He was wearing a pair of dark slacks and white button down shirt. He looked amazing.

"Wow!" he said as I approached the bottom step, and he walked toward me, holding out a hand.

I clasped his hand tightly in mine and allowed him to twirl me around.

"Stunning. Just stunning," he said with a smile before placing a sweet kiss on my lips.

I felt a blush on my cheeks and I thanked him, telling him that he looked fantastic.

With my hand in his, we walked into the sitting room which had been cleared of all furniture except a loveseat in the corner. Music played from an iHome set up on the mantle over the fireplace, and there were pink ribbons hung around the room. It was quite classy.

"Dance with me?" Edward asked as a slow song came across the speaker.

I stayed wrapped in his arms for hours as we danced to anything and everything that came across the iPod. Slow songs, fast songs, goofy and inappropriate songs that Emmett had snuck onto the list.

It was one of the best nights of my life, and I was glad that my sister and Edward had conspired to come with the idea for the dance. I felt much more comfortable at Edward's than I ever would have at a dance.

A little after nine, we all took a break from dancing to snack on finger food that Esme had made and drink some punch. At least here, I didn't have to worry about it being spiked.

Our dance lasted until a little after midnight. Edward, being the gentleman that he is, drove me home, despite the fact that I could've ridden with my siblings.

Once we arrived at my house, Edward walked me up to the door and gave me a kiss goodnight. A perfect ending to a perfect night. I truly had been one of the best nights of my life, and I could only hope that there would be more to come.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: FYI, there's 4 more regular chapters plus an epilogue. Thanks for all the awesome reviews. I've been an epic fail at responding back to them. I have no excuse. Well, that's not true. I have a ton. Lol.**

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**EPOV**

I woke up Monday morning with a smile on my face. I had one of the best weekends of my life. The highlight, of course, being the dance that Alice and I had orchestrated. I had been thrilled when Bella went along with it, and I could definitely say that the Swan/Cullen dance had been far better than any school dance I'd ever been to.

"Hey, Edward? Don't forget you have a dentist appointment at eight-thirty," Carlisle said as he poked his head into my room. "I already called the school and told them you'd be late."

In all truth, I'd totally forgotten about the appointment. Grabbing my phone, I sent a quick text to Bella letting her know that I wouldn't be riding with them, and I'd see her later.

By nine, I was grumpy, my jaw ached, and the last thing I wanted was to go to school, but I headed there anyway. I'd had to have a cavity filled, and I wasn't too happy about it.

When I got to school, I ended up parking in the boondocks and trudged my way toward the building.

"Did you hear? He totally broke up with her. That's why neither of them showed up to the dance," I heard a girl say to her friends as I walked by.

I didn't really pay much attention seeing as how the halls were always filled with gossip.

"He looks pissed," another girl whispered, not so quietly.

"That's because he caught her cheating."

At that I whirled around and looked at the girls who were hovering a bit too close to my locker.

"Told ya. He caught her cheating with some guy and broke up with her. Can you believe that? She cheated on him, on Valentines."

As much as I wanted to say something, I couldn't actually prove that they were talking about Bella or myself.

Turning back to my locker, I grabbed my books and headed down the hall. I spotted Bella walking toward me, and the minute she was within reach, I wrapped her up in my arms and laid one hell of a kiss on her.

"Well, good morning to me," she said, when I finally let her up to breathe.

"Good morning, love."

"Not that I minded, but you're not usually one for PDA. Let me guess? You heard the rumors and decided to lay them to rest?" she asked.

"Something like that," I said with a grin, leaning down for one more kiss.

"Knock it off, you two," Emmett growled from behind me.

Reluctantly, I let Bella go and said my goodbyes before heading off to class.

I had thought the kissing the hell out of Bella would get rid of the rumors, but I was wrong. It only seemed to fuel the fire so to speak. It seemed that everywhere I turned someone was whispering about how Bella had convinced me to take her back or how I was an idiot for accepting her apology. Blah, blah, blah. It was never ending, and it was beginning to piss me off.

At lunch, I caught up with Bella and the rest of the Swans, and they looked just as angry as I felt.

"When will people learn to mind their own fucking business?" Rosalie growled.

"Never. You know that this school and the pathetic morons that go here have nothing better to do," Jasper told her.

"Yeah, well it's pissing me off," she snarled.

"You and me both," I told her.

Bella had been quiet during our exchange, and I turned to her, worried.

"Are you okay?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. I'm fine. Just doing my best to ignore the idiots that surround us," she said, reaching for my hand and giving it a squeeze.

"How the hell did all this start?" I asked, a bit curious to know.

"It's probably because we didn't show up to the dance," Alice said. "So, people decided to jump to conclusions and concoct some story as to why we weren't there."

It was moments like that that made me dislike small towns. Who freaking cared that we didn't go to the school dance? Apparently, the whole freaking school.

"Well, hell. Here comes trouble," Alice said, and I looked over to see Jessica and Lauren heading our way.

However, they stopped short when they noticed that Bella and I were holding hands. A few whispers between them, and they began coming our way again.

"Hey, guys!" Jessica said with false enthusiasm which none of us bought.

"What do you want?" Bella asked in a bored tone.

"Well, you guys didn't show up to the dance. Are you all okay?"

I rolled my eyes at her fake concern.

"We're fine. We had our own dance," Bella said, not even turning around to face the girls.

"Your own dance?" Lauren scoffed. "Yeah, right."

Alice stood up and walked over to Lauren. "We did have our own dance at Edward's house, but we didn't bother to invite anyone else because let's face it, the rest of you aren't worth our time."

"Why would Edward let you have a dance at his house when your sister is cheating on him?" Lauren asked, trying to look superior.

I looked at Lauren with disgust. "You're pathetic, you know that? Bella has never cheated on me nor will she. If you think that your stupid lies and rumors are going to break us up, you're wrong. And if you keep spreading your hateful lies, I'll report it to the principal. Hell, I'm sure my dad wouldn't have a problem if I wanted to sue you for slander."

I had no idea if I could even do that, but Lauren blanched at my words.

She grabbed Jessica's arm and they stalked off, but I could already hear more whispers starting. Man, I was so ready for high school to be done with.

"Nice, Ed!" Emmett said, holding out a fist which I bumped.

"Stupid girl really pisses me the hell off," I said, pushing my tray away.

"Me, too," Bella said, resting her head on my shoulder.

I'd love to say the rest of the day passed without incident, but it didn't. I was approached by girls on the way to class where I explained time and time again, that Bella and I were together. I was harassed by guys in the locker room during gym and finally had to leave or else I would've hit someone. I was so tired of all the crap. Just tired of it.

By the time the bell rang, indicating the end of school, I'd never been so glad. I grabbed my crap from my locker and headed outside to wait near Emmett's Jeep for Bella.

"Want to come over before you head to work?" I asked her as she approached.

"Definitely."

After unlocking the door, we headed up to my room where I was sure to leave the door slightly ajar. No one was home, but I didn't want to incur the wrath of Esme or Carlisle if I was found with Bella in my room and the door fully shut.

After dropping our bags on the floor, we climbed onto my bed and immediately, Bella curled herself around me. Her head was resting on my chest and her tiny fingers were playing with the buttons on my shirt.

"Want to watch a movie?" I asked her, even though we both knew that we wouldn't really be watching it.

"Sure."

Because I was feeling lazy, and I was enjoying the feel of Bella against me, I just hit the play button on the DVD player.

"I'm not sure what's in there, but I'll guess we'll find out because I'm too lazy to hunt for something else to watch," I told her.

"It's not porn, is it?" she joked.

I snorted. "I don't leave my porn in the DVD player."

She sat up quickly almost butting me with her head, and she had a shocked look on her face.

"You have porn?"

I felt my face turning bright red and found that I couldn't look her in the eye.

"I'm a teenage guy, Bella. Of course, I have porn," I said, trying to be all casual about it when in fact I was dying of embarrassment on the inside.

"Seriously? You have porn?" she asked.

I flopped back on the bed, covering my face with a pillow.

"Don't your brothers have porn?" I asked, my voice muffled.

"Well, yeah, but I expect that from them. You just seem too gentlemanly to have porn."

"Are we really going to talk about this?"

"Yes," she said, pulling the pillow away from my face. "I just found out my boyfriend watches porn. It's a bit unexpected."

This was not a conversation that I ever wanted to have with anyone, much less my girlfriend.

Heaving a sigh, I studied the pattern on my ceiling. "Yes, I have porn. Yes, I watch it once in a great while. Can we please stop talking about this now?" I begged.

"Fine, you big baby. We'll stop talking about it. So, what movie are we watching?" she asked, settling down next to me.

"I don't know," I told her as I hit play on the remote.

Turned out, the last movie I'd watched was _Sweet Home Alabama_. That was almost as embarrassing as having Bella learn that I watched porn.

"You own this movie?" She asked.

"I like it, plus Reese Witherspoon is hot," I said in defense.

As per usual when it came to us and movies, we ended up making out throughout most of it. Our kisses started out sweet and delicate but quickly escalated into something more intense.

Our hormones were obviously in charge, and it wasn't until I found myself underneath Bella as our kisses hardened and our hands wandered, that I realized we needed to stop.

"Sweet girl, we have to stop" I managed to get out between kisses.

"I know," she said with a moan as she reluctantly climbed off of me and then cuddled up to my side.

We were still breathing rather heavily when I heard the front door open and Esme call out my name.

"Bella and I are upstairs!" I called back.

Moments later, Esme popped her head in my doorway.

"Hey, kids. What have you been up to?" she asked with a knowing smile.

"Watching movies," I told her, which wasn't a complete lie.

I could tell Esme didn't buy it but thankfully, she didn't call me out on it.

"Why don't you two come downstairs for a snack and tell me about your day?" she suggested, even though we both knew it wasn't a suggestion.

We agreed and followed her into the kitchen.

Over cookies and milk, we told her about the rumors going around and how stupid and annoying it all was.

"What the heck is wrong with people?" she asked.

After our snack, I took Bella home so that she could do some homework before heading to work, and I ending up playing video games with Jasper and Emmett until Bella left.

After saying goodbye to the Swans, I headed home to start on my own homework. I had just walked in the door when I heard Esme talking to Carlisle.

"Have you talked with Edward about sex?" I heard her ask him.

_Oh, God. Please don't make me sit through that again_, I thought.

"Yes. He knows to be safe if and when he and Bella are ready to take that step. Why? Did something happen?"

"Not that I know of, but I have noticed that they seem to be getting closer. I just want them to be safe."

No, no, no. I didn't not want to go through that again. I shouted out that I was home, then took off running up the stairs toward my room. Once there, I closed the door and flopped face down on my bed.

"Are you okay, son?" I heard Carlisle ask through the door.

"I'm fine. I've got a ton of homework to do," I told him.

My door opened a crack, and I saw him look in. "I hope that you're not upset with Esme. She's just concerned about you," he said, stepping into my room.

I sat up and looked at him. "I'm not upset with her, Dad. A bit embarrassed maybe but not upset."

We talked for a few minutes before I told him I really did need to get working on my homework.

I was so immersed in my homework that when my phone rang, it scared the crap out of me.

"Hello?"

"Hey, handsome. I just wanted to let you know that I got home safely," Bella's sweet voice said.

"I'm glad to hear that," I told her.

We talked for about thirty minutes before my yawns overtook me, and we said goodnight.

* * *

By the end of the week, most of the rumors had died down, something I was extremely grateful for. I hadn't been kidding when I'd told Lauren I'd take it up with the principal if I had to.

After school, I headed over to the Swan house with everyone where we spent the evening watching horror movies and eating pizza. Renee had been kind enough to let us order in.

"This is such a horrible movie. There's no plot at all," Bella said as we watched some cheesy horror flick.

"That's the point, Bells. It's supposed to be horrible," Emmett told her.

We were halfway through our third movie of the evening when Charlie came home. He looked tired, but there was a look of satisfaction on his face.

"Can you guys pause that for a moment?" he asked.

It was done so immediately, and we all turned to face him.

He explained that the Port Angeles P.D. had caught the two other guys that had attacked Rose, and that tomorrow he'd drive her and Emmett over to the station to identify them.

"You two okay with that?"

They both nodded, and we all felt a sense of relief that they'd been caught. The hard part was still to come and we all knew that, but I think we all felt safer knowing the three of them were behind bards. Now, if only catching James was so easy.

"Do you have any news regarding James?" I asked Charlie later that evening when I'd gone to the kitchen to get some water.

"Not yet, son. Not yet. Bastard is a slippery devil, but he'll make a mistake sooner or later. His father's car was reported stolen last week, but I have a feeling that he lent it to James. We've put out an APB on it."

"APB?" I asked.

"All Points Bulletin. If the car is spotted, we'll be notified."

I appreciated all that Charlie was doing to get James, and I let him know that. He waved me off, telling me I had nothing to thank him for.

I headed back into the living room where a fifth movie was playing. It was absolutely ridiculous, and my eyes began to burn just watching it.

"C'mon," Bella said, tugging me up off the floor, and we headed toward her room.

"Door open!" Charlie hollered.

"Yes, sir!" she shouted back, saluting in his general direction. "Like I'd have sex in this house with all my family around."

I snickered at her, stopping when she pressed her lips to mine.

"Boy, I love kissing you," she said a little while later as we lay on her bed, both a bit breathless.

"Same here. It's become an addiction that I can't go without," I told her.

"Yeah? You're addicted to me?"

"Sure. You're like my own personal brand of heroin," I said with a grin.

She snorted out a laugh. "Well, that's romantic."

Saturday night, I found myself hanging out with my parents watching some black and white film. It was so boring, but I was too lazy to get up and leave the room.

"Why aren't you out with Bella?" Carlisle asked, after I'd gotten done complaining about the movie.

"She got called into work at the last minute. Otherwise, I'd be with her and leaving you old people to your old movies."

"Watch it, son. I can still kick your butt," Carlisle said with a grin, tossing a pillow at me.

"Yeah, right," I said with an eye roll.

A little after nine, I checked my phone to see if I had a text from Bella, but I didn't. Figuring that she was just running a bit late, I didn't worry too much. However, when I hadn't heard from her by ten, I gave her a call. It just went to her voicemail which wasn't like her. I tried again and again, and when I couldn't get a hold of her, I gave Emmett a call.

"What up, Eddie?"

"Is Bella home? She's not answering her phone."

"I thought she was with you," he said, causing me to become even more alarmed than I already was.

"No, she worked at the diner tonight, and she always calls me when she gets off work, but she didn't tonight."

"Calm down, dude. I'm sure it's fine. I've been in my room most of the night. Let me check with the 'rents."

Moments later, Charlie came on the line.

"Edward?"

"Charlie," I said with relief.

"Bella's not here. I got a text from her saying she was stopping by your house after work."

"She never mentioned it to me, and I haven't heard from her at all. I've called her several times and there's no answer," I told him, my voice rising with panic.

"Edward. I need you to stay calm. I'm going to drive over to the diner and talk to Mrs. Stanley. I'll call you when I know something, okay?"

I nodded even though he couldn't see me, then hung up the phone. I headed back downstairs and told Esme and Carlisle that Bella was missing.

"What do you mean missing?" Esme asked.

I explained that she hadn't called me or answered her phone and that Charlie had gotten a text from her saying that she was coming over here.

"Edward, son, you need to stay calm. Maybe Bella's phone died, or she got a flat tire," Esme said. "Don't get yourself all worked up until we know what's going on."

But, I knew. I knew something was wrong. I could feel it, and I didn't know how to explain it. If Bella's phone had died, she would have found a way to get ahold of me or her dad. If car had a flat, she would have called someone. No, something was seriously wrong.

For thirty minutes, I paced back and forth across the living room. I kept glancing at my phone, praying for it to ring and for Bella to be on the other side.

Thirty minutes became forty minutes, and I was growing more and more panicked with each passing second. Finally, my phone rang, and I fumbled to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Edward? It's Charlie," he said, and I knew by his voice that Bella was gone.

"Did you find her?"

"She's not here. Her truck is here along with her cell phone and purse, but she's not. I've organized a search party, but I'm certain that Hunter has her," he said, his voice breaking as he spoke.

I didn't remember sitting down, I didn't remember Esme taking the phone from me, I didn't remember the tears falling. All I remembered was that my girl had been taken. That some crazy asshole had her, and I had failed to keep her safe.

"Edward! Look at me please," Esme begged.

Slowly, I looked at her as she cupped my face before pulling me into a hug.

"You need to be calm and stay strong for Bella, okay? You won't be any help to anyone if you're a mess. Do you understand?"

I nodded, knowing that she was right.

"Okay. Now, let me tell you what Charlie told us."

I nodded again, pulling the pocket watch that Bella had gotten me, out of my pocket. My fingers traced over it as I remembered the pure joy on her face as she'd given it to me.

"There wasn't any blood at the scene, which is a good sign. It means that Bella is most likely unharmed," Esme began.

That was good. She'd better be unharmed or heaven help me, I would tear James apart.

"Charlie also said that he's brought in the Washington State police as well. They'll be manning the roadways, and Charlie has released pictures of Bella and James to the media."

"What can we do to help?" I asked, my voice hoarse.

"Nothing," she said, and I made a strangled noise.

"Edward, listen to us," Carlisle said, speaking for the first time since Esme began. "There is nothing we can do but keep an eye out for her. We don't want to interfere or hinder the police in anyway. Charlie said that if you want to help, then to stay strong and be there when Bella comes home."

When Bella comes home. She was going to come home. She had to. I couldn't survive if she didn't.

Sleep didn't come easily and at around three, I gave up. I sent Emmett a text asking if I could come over, and he agreed. Apparently, the Swans weren't sleeping either. I woke Esme and Carlisle up, letting them know where I was going before driving over to the Swans.

Renee greeted me at the door and pulled me in for a hug, which I returned. Her eyes were red and there were tear tracks on her cheeks.

I followed her into the living room and was surrounded in hugs by the whole family. We spent the night trying to kill the time, anxiously awaiting for any news from Charlie. So far, there hadn't been any.

A little after six, Esme and Carlisle came over. Esme and I were decided to make pancakes for everyone. We needed something to do to stay sane, and I knew that even if we weren't hungry, we should eat.

I had just put the some batter on the grill when the phone rang, startling all of us. Renee grabbed it, and held on with clutched hands as she listened to whoever was on the other end.

"Thanks for letting us know. I love you, too," she said, hanging up the phone.

"What did Dad say?" Jasper asked.

"They got about a girl matching Bella's description being seen at a gas station outside of Seattle. Your dad and the state police on on their way there now."

Time passes slowly as we waited to hear if Bella had been found, but there hadn't been any word. Seconds turned to minutes. Minutes turned into hours, and still there was no news. They say no news is good news, but I wasn't sure about that. No news meant that James still had Bella, and that the police hadn't caught him yet.

Twenty-one hours after Bella had gone missing, we got a call from Charlie. Bella had been found, but James was in the wind. At that moment, I didn't give a shit about James. All that I wanted was my Bella.

"Oh, thank God," Renee said before breaking down into tears.

I rode with Esme, Jasper, and Alice, while Carlisle drove everyone else. The drive to Seattle had never seemed so long.

When we pulled up in front of a hospital, I about lost what little was in my stomach. _Why were we there?_

Esme turned the car off before turning around to face us. "Before you work yourselves into a frenzy, listen to me. Bella is going to be fine. She's got some bruises, cuts, and a broken leg."

I swallowed back the bile that was threatening to erupt. The fucker had hurt my girl!

Fifteen minutes later, we were gathered outside of Bella's room. The doctor had informed us that she was doing okay, but that she looked worse for wear.

"Visiting hours are over at nine," he told us when we asked if we could see her.

I followed the Swans into Bella's room, and I could barely hold back a gasp when I saw my girl laying in the hospital bed. There was a nasty cut above her left eye that was held closed with stitches and butterfly bandaids, several bruises on her face and arms, and her leg was in blue cast.

I couldn't have stopped the tears had I tried. She looked so small and fragile.

Bella's eyes slowly opened and she let out a cry when she saw Renee.

"Mom!"

Renee rushed over to Bella and gently wrapped her up in a hug, tears falling from both of their eyes.

After Bella and Renee parted, I slowly moved forward and took my turn hugging Bella. She clung to me, her small hands fisting in my shirt as her tears soaked my shirt.

Despite the fact that visiting hours ended at nine, Carlisle managed to convince the doctor to let Renee and Charlie spend the night with Bella. The rest of us made do with the plastic chairs and couches in the waiting area.

It was a long night, and despite the fact that I knew Bella was safe, I couldn't sleep. Every little noise had me jerking awake thinking that James had snuck into the hospital and was going to kill her. Charlie had assured us that the hospital was well guarded and there was a manhunt for James that was ongoing. I just hoped that they caught him before he hurt anyone else.

* * *

a/n: Next update will be next Saturday since I'm going out of town on Thursday, and we'll get to see what Bella went through.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Thanks for your patience while waiting an extra day for this. As always, a huge thanks for reading and reviewing.**

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**BPOV**

A quick glance at the clock on the wall showed that I had less than an hour to go. I was a bit pissed that I'd gotten called in to work, but Mrs. Stanley had really needed someone to cover for Arlene. From what I'd gathered, Arlene had caught her husband cheating and was too upset to come into work. That was understandable, I guess. I mean, if I caught Edward cheating on me, Dad would probably have to put me in jail because I would've kicked Edward's ass and then some.

"Order up!" Embry hollered.

Grabbing the food, I carried the plates toward the table in the corner where a couple of young teen girls were hanging out. After handing them their food and refilling their drinks, I had a chance to relax.

By nine, I was more than ready to leave. It wasn't that work had been hard or that the customers had been difficult, but I was ready to head home and to talk to Edward.

"Ready, Embry?" I hollered into the kitchen.

"I'll be ready in a minute, if you wanna wait for me," he hollered back.

My car was parked right outside the back door, so I shouted a goodbye to Embry and headed out the back door.

I noticed that the street lamp that was in the parking lot was out, but I continued on to my truck. As I unlocked it, I waved goodbye to Embry and watched as he climbed into his car. It was comical to see such a huge guy climb into a Volkswagen Bug.

He tooted his horn as he drove off, and I waved once more before opening the door to my truck.

I was about to climb in when the door was suddenly slammed shut, causing me to drop my keys as I whirled around.

"Well, well. What do we have here?" a voice said from beside me.

Nausea welled up in my stomach as I slowly looked up into James' face.

"Go away, James!" I snarled, hating that my voice quivered as I spoke.

"Or what?" he asked, leaning closer. "Gonna call your daddy? I don't think so," he said, brandishing a knife.

"Give me your phone and your keys. Now!" he yelled when I didn't comply right away.

With shaking hands, I dug my phone out of my pocket and handed it to him before reaching down to get my keys. The second they were in my hands, he snatched them up and flung them into the dark. I watched as he sent a text on my phone and then tossed it onto the ground.

"Let's go," he said, grabbing my arm and dragging me toward a car.

I knew that getting into the car with him was the worst thing I could do, but what else was I going to do? I could run, but I wasn't sure how far I'd get. Almost as if he knew what I was thinking, James grabbed me by my hair and slammed my head against the car, and my world turned black.

* * *

Holy shit, my head hurt. Like seriously hurt. I felt like I'd been hit with a baseball bat, and then I remembered. James had slammed my head against the car. Gingerly, I reached up to touch my temple and winced at the obvious lump.

Slowly, not wanting to alert James, I opened my eyes and peered around. I was propped up against a wall, sitting on a linoleum floor. A quick glance around showed that James wasn't in the room with me, but I could hear voices coming from somewhere nearby.

"What the fuck are you doing, son? Her father's the fucking chief of police! Are you trying to get yourself shot?" I heard a man ask.

"That bitch, her family, and that Edward punk all deserve what's coming to them."

"Be reasonable, son. It's one thing to go after the doctor's son, but to kidnap the chief's daughter? They'll fry your ass!"

I heard the sound of something breaking, and I flinched at the noise. A few minutes later, I heard the sound of a door slamming. Not wanting to be a sitting duck, I got to my feet and quietly began to search the room I was in. It was obviously a kitchen, and I searched frantically for a weapon of any sort. However, the kitchen looked like it was being remodeled, and I couldn't find a weapon of any kind. No knives, no forks, hell there wasn't even a spoon.

"Fuck," I whispered. I needed something.

Finally, my eyes fell upon a spade-like tool partially hidden under a tarp. I snatched it up, then scrambled back to the spot that I'd been in just as footsteps headed my way.

"Get up!" James snarled.

I tightened my grip on the spade and as soon as I was on my feet, I attacked. I swung at his face with all my might, wincing as I made contact. He let out a scream and clutched the side of his face, and that was all I needed.

Spade in hand, I ran out of the kitchen and into a small living room. Before me was a door, and I bolted for it, knowing that James would catch up with me soon.

I flung the door open and almost tripped as I flew down the steps and across the gravel drive. A quick glance behind me, showed that the house was actually a doublewide trailer, and I didn't see any other houses in the distance and that scared me. I was alone with James and some strange guy in the middle of nowhere.

Not stopping, I kept up my frantic pace as I reached the end of the driveway and began down a dirt road. I heard a car start from somewhere behind me, and I knew without a doubt that James was coming after me.

I knew that I couldn't stay on the road with James coming after me, so I headed for the fields on the side of the road that were filled with high grass and weeds. I stumbled more than once and despite the stitch in my side, I kept going.

"I know you're out there!" I heard James call.

Fear and adrenaline rushed through me as I kept going. Grass and low-hanging branches snapped against my face, but nothing was going to stop me. I had to get home.

But no matter how fast I ran, I wasn't quick enough. James caught up to me quickly enough and backhanded me, causing me to see stars and drop the spade.

"You're a real pain my ass, Swan!" he growled as he dragged me back toward the road where his car was idling.

He tossed me into the passenger seat and pointed his knife at me, telling me he'd kill me if I tried to escape again. I believed him. There was no doubt in my mind that he would.

We drove for an hour and James was muttering to himself the whole time. I seriously began to think that he was insane. Eventually, he pulled up in front of a decrepit house. After getting out of the car, James grabbed my arm and dragged me up the steps and onto the sagging porch. He knocked on the door and a few minutes later, it was opened by a guy with dreads and a wild look in his eye.

"What the fuck, man?" the guy said with a Jamaican accent.

"I need a place to lay low and you fucking owe me, so let me in," James snarled.

"What about her?" the guy asked, pointing to me.

"What about her? You never saw her. Remember that."

The guy nodded and let us in. The house was a disaster and it stunk horribly. There was moldy food lying on a table, alongside drug paraphernalia and empty liquor bottles.

I was shoved down a hallway and into a room that had an air mattress with a dirty blanket and a pile of trash in the corner. I was beyond disgusted and more than a little terrified that I was alone in a room with James.

"Relax, Swan. You're not my type anymore. I'd much rather have that blonde ice bitch sister of yours," he said with a laugh as he played with the knife in his hand.

I narrowed my eyes and let out a growl.

"I bet that little one is feisty. I could definitely go for a taste of that."

Rage ran through me and before I knew it, I was kicking and hitting him. _How dare he talk about my sisters like that!_

A knife to my throat, stopped my actions. "One more move, one more attack, and I will slit that pretty little throat of yours. Now, behave. I'll be back in a bit."

I watched as he walked out the door and seconds later, I heard it lock. Once alone, I took a good look at my surroundings. There wasn't much in the room that would be useful, and the window was so tiny I doubt that I could fit through it. Not that that was going to stop me.

Knowing that James could come back at any second, I quickly made my way to the window. Of course, things couldn't be simple. The window seemed to be painted shut, and I let out a string of curses. Breaking the window would most likely attract unwanted attention, so I was going to have to do something else.

I kept struggling and trying to pull the window up until my arms were sore, and I was exhausted. Giving up, I sat down on the floor near the window. Tears stung my eyes, and I beyond frustrated.

I wasn't sure how much time had passed, but at some point there was a knock on the door and I heard it unlock. I doubted that James would knock, so I stood up a bit tense as to who was on the other side.

The door unlocked and in walked the dreadlocked guy. He handed me a plate of toast and a bottle of water. I shook my head and told him thanks, but that I wasn't hungry. That wasn't true. I was starving, but I didn't know nor trust him.

"Whatever, girlie.," he said, leaning against the closed door and pulling a cigarette out of his pocket.

Staring at him, I thought perhaps I could convince him to call the police or at least give me a phone.

"Do you have a phone? I need to call my parents."

The guy shook his head. "James said you aren't allowed to have a phone."

I snapped. All the fear and rage inside me had finally reached its boiling point. I stood up and got in the guy's face.

"Let me explain something to you. James kidnapped from the diner where I work at. So unless you want to be charged with aiding and abating a kidnapper, you will give me a fucking phone!"

He just stared at me before shaking his head. "James will kill me if I get you a phone."

"So call the police for me," I begged.

Before he could respond to my request, a banging on the other side of the door startled both of us.

"What's going on in here?" James asked, a fierce look on his face.

"Nothing, man. Just bringing her some toast and water."

I held back a sigh of relief that the guy hadn't told James that I wanted a phone. I just hoped that the guy did the right thing and called the cops, but chances were good that he wouldn't.

Minutes turned into hours, and I had to pee like there was no tomorrow. Finally, James allowed me out to use the bathroom. I followed him down the hall and into a tiny room. I was warned not to take too long before I shut the door.

The minute the door was shut, I glanced around the bathroom looking for anything that could help me.

"Hurry up, Swan!"

_Crap._ Grabbing some toilet paper, I placed strips on the toilet before doing my business. As I finished washing my hands, I noticed a small can of hairspray on the floor next to the sink. I bent down and picked it up, thinking that I could spray James in the eyes with it.

The door opened just as I put it in my pocket, and James gave me a glare.

"Let's go," he said, grabbing my arm and began to drag me back down the hall.

We were almost back to the room when someone began to holler that the cops were on their way. Chaos ensued and panic kicked in throughout the house. People began rushing out of rooms, holding stuff, and heading for the door.

James yelled for someone named Laurent, and the second his back was turned I pulled out the hairspray. James turned back to me after getting no answer, and I sprayed the hairspray in his eyes. He let out a howl of pain and let go of my arm, giving me the opportunity to run for it.

I ran for the stairs, moving down them as quickly as possible. They were slightly steep and it didn't help that I was being pushed and jostled by drug addicts as they attempted to escape the police raid.

All it took was one hard push, and I went tumbling down the steps, crying out in pain when I felt my leg snap. Fear rushed through me, because I knew that there was no way I could escape if James came after me.

As I braced myself for the inevitable, I heard the most wonderful sound. A voice yelling out, "Police! This is a raid!"

Everything after that was a blur. Police were everywhere, people were being arrested, and I was put on a stretcher and into an ambulance. I vaguely remembered someone saying that I was Chief Swan's daughter, and I began to cry, wanting my dad. At some point, I passed out from whatever drug they gave me.

When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed, my leg in a cast, and my dad by my side.

"Daddy?" I croaked out.

"Baby, girl!" he said, wrapping me up in a hug. I clung to him as tears fell from my eyes.

Once I was calm, Dad asked me if I could tell him what happened. I recounted the events, watching as his deputy, Mark, took notes and recording it all. I was exhausted by the time I finished telling them about my ordeal.

Dad gave me a hug, told me that Mom was on her way, and that he'd be back. I knew that he had work to do, but I was so glad that he'd been there when I'd woken up.

I dozed off for a while, and the next time I opened my eyes, the door was opening and my family and Edward came rushing in.

I let out a cry when I saw my mom and was immediately wrapped up in her arms. I clung tightly to her, just like I had done with Dad. After Mom left go, Edward came over and hugged me and the tears began again. I was so tired of crying, but I felt unsettled and all of these emotions were welling up inside.

I was so glad when Carlisle told me that the family and Edward could stay with me. I wasn't ready to be alone, and I had a feeling that I was going to be clingy for a while.

* * *

Four days had passed since I'd been found and in those four days a lot had happened. Mainly, and most importantly, James had been caught. Seattle P.D. had arrested him after he'd been caught speeding. He was being charged with a variety of offenses such as hit and run, leaving the scene of an accident, kidnapping, and aggravated assault. His father had also been arrested for aiding and abating a kidnapping. At the moment, they were both awaiting trial and being held without bail.

I had been released from the hospital and was back at home with the number for a therapist. I knew that I needed to talk to a professional, but I didn't want to. I wanted it all to be over, and talking about it only made it go on. I knew, of course, that I was going to have to testify against James, but I didn't want to think about it at the moment.

I'd been excused from school for the rest of the week, and I was going crazy sitting at home. It didn't help that Mom hovered constantly. I had been a bit clingy when I'd first gotten home, but now it was Mom who was clinging. Every few minutes, she would pop into my room and ask if I was okay or ask if I wanted something to eat.

Finally, I snapped.

"I'm fine! Just leave me the hell alone!" I screamed at her, then I burst into tears, horrified by what I'd just done.

Thankfully, Mom was understanding and pulled me close, rocking us back and forth.

"How about this? I'll go out and get us some cookie dough ice cream, and you can pick out a movie for us to watch. Sound good?"

I nodded, sniffling. After Mom left, I took a quick shower before putting my most comfortable pajamas on, a t-shirt that I'd stolen from Edward and a pair of pajama pants with purple hippos on them. Once dressed, I went to the living room and put in the first _Harry Potter_.

By the time, my siblings and Edward got back from school, Mom and I had eaten the better part of a carton of ice cream and were on the fourth _Harry Potter_ movie.

"What's this? You guys had a party without us?" Emmett asked with a pout.

As Mom joked around with Emmett, Edward came over and sat down next to me.

"I know you're sick of hearing this, but how are you doing?" Edward asked as I cuddled up to him.

"I blew up at Mom earlier," I told him quietly, still ashamed at my behavior.

"You know, it wouldn't hurt to find someone to talk to like Rose and Emmett do," Edward suggested.

"I know," I told him, picking up his hand and playing with his fingers. "I will, just not yet."

A little after six, Dad came home and plopped down in his recliner after kicking Emmett out of told us how James and his father were going to stay in the Seattle jail until the trial, despite the fact that the crimes took place in Forks; something about the Seattle jail being better equipped. I think it was so that Dad wouldn't "accidentally" shoot James or his father while they were in his custody.

The rest of the week and the weekend past by slowly, and I woke up Monday in a crappy mood. It was a pain in the ass trying to shower with a cast on. It was a pain in the ass trying to get dressed with a cast on, and it was a pain in the ass trying to get into the car with a cast on. Not too mention walking around.

By the time, Jasper pulled into the lot, I was ready to say screw it and just stay in the car all day. However, Edward pulled into the spot beside us and got out, opening my door.

"Come on, sweet girl, classes are awaiting," Edward said, helping me out the car.

Grumbling, I took the crutches that he offered me and slowly began hobbling toward the school. The minute we opened the door the whispers began. My siblings and Edward had warned me that the school was rampant with speculation about what had happened to me. It was none of their freaking business and it only served to piss me off.

I'd noticed over the course of the past week that my anger was starting to get out of control. I'd snapped at both my parents multiple times, and I'd even snapped at Edward. I felt horrible and guilty afterward, always apologizing, but I knew that it was time to get help. I had an appointment with a therapist that Carlisle had recommended. It was a different therapist from the one Rose and Emmett went to, but I was okay with that. Carlisle had told me the therapist I was going to see was named Emily, and that she was really good at her job.

The school day passed by almost painfully slow. I had one hell of a day maneuvering around the hallways, and I was tired of all the questions, glances, and whispers. As the bell rang, signaling the end of school, I hurried to my locker as quickly as my crutches would allow me.

I wasn't in a rush to go to the hospital and talk to Emily, but I was in a rush to get away from school. Edward met me at my locker and walked me out to his car. He'd offered to drive me to the hospital, and I'd been hesitant at first. I was going to be there for at least an hour, and I didn't just want him hanging out. He told me it was no big deal, that he'd hang out in Carlisle's office doing homework.

Fifteen minutes after school let out, we pulled into the hospital parking lot and made our way inside. Carlisle greeted us and took me to Emily's office while Edward headed to Carlisle's.

Carlisle knocked on the door and opened it after a woman's voice called out for him to come in. With a hand on my back, Carlisle guided me into Emily's office, before leaving us alone.

The woman in front of me was a pretty Native American woman with long dark hair, but she had some rather nasty scars on the side of her face. Not wanting to stare, I adverted my gaze.

"I'm Emily Young," she said, holding out a hand.

I shook it as I mumbled that I was Bella Swan.

"Why don't you have a seat, Bella?" she said, and I moved slowly across the room to sit in a plush chair across from her.

My hands twisted nervously in my lap, and I looked everywhere but at her. I absently wondered if Rose had felt this awkward when she talked to her therapist.

Emily obviously saw my hesitation so she began talking. She told me that she'd tell me her story, and then I could talk if I wanted. I nodded in agreement and listened as she explained her story. She told me how she'd been in a volatile relationship with a man who'd physically, mentally, and sexual abused her.

When she'd finally gotten the nerve to leave, he'd grabbed a knife and attacked her. He'd straddled her, pinning her down, and had sliced her face with the knife before stabbing her several times before police arrived.

She told me how the police had shot him when her boyfriend has refused to put the knife down. He'd been killed, and she told me about the anger that she felt toward him and how she'd felt that he'd gotten off easy. He didn't have to pay for what he'd done to her.

"I was very, very angry for a long time and extremely depressed. It took years of therapy for me to learn to deal with everything that had happened to me."

"Do you still feel angry about it?" I asked once she was done.

"Some days."

I let out a sigh and slunk down in my chair before speaking. "I have stupid nightmares, and I'm having a problem with my temper."

"Tell me about your temper," she requested.

I picked at a hole in the knee of my jeans as I began to speak. I told her how it seemed like every little thing set me off. How I snapped at my family, my boyfriend, hell, anyone I came in contact with and that only served to piss me off more.

"I fucking hate feeling so out of control. I hate that I get so fucking mad about everything!" I shouted, feeling the anger begin to rise again.

Emily sat back in her chair, crossing her legs. "Good."

I looked at her in disbelief. _Good? What did she mean good?_

"It's not good. It's bad. It's horrible. I hate feeling like this."

"It's good because it means that you're healing. You're allowed to feel angry. You were kidnapped, taking against your will and held by a dangerous person. You're more than justified in feeling angry," she told me. "Now what we need to do, is work on controlling that anger. You need to find a creative outlet for it."

"Like what?"

"I have patients who paint, who box, who write out their anger. Those are just a few. You just need to find something that appeals to you."

"I like to write," I told her.

Emily gave me a smile. "Excellent. Here's what we'll do," she said, standing up and getting something from her desk. She walked over to me and handed me a journal. I took it, flipping through it and finding it empty.

"I want you to write in this whenever you start to feel angry. You can write whatever you want, I won't read it. Not unless you want me to. Give it a shot, and we'll discuss this more at our next appointment. Okay?"

I nodded, putting the journal in my backpack.

After making another appointment for next week, Emily told me how to get to Carlisle's office, and I slowly made my way toward the elevator. As I was waiting for the elevator, I heard someone behind me call my name.

Turning my head, I didn't bother to hold back a groan when I saw Jessica. She rushed over to me, giving me a hug that I struggled to escape from.

"Oh my God! I heard that you were hurt! I'm sorry I wasn't at school yesterday to help you out. My grandpa's in the hospital, and I'm here visiting him," she rambled on as I prayed for the elevator to hurry up.

"Uh … yeah, whatever. Sorry to hear about your grandfather," I mumbled, trying not to sigh in relief when the elevator arrived.

I hobbled in, grimacing when Jessica followed me. I tuned her out as we rode up the two floors until I got out. I started down the hall with Jessica following and talking the whole way.

"Jessica?"

"Yes?" she asked.

"What are you doing?"

She looked at me confused. "What do you mean, Bella?"

I let out a sigh. "We don't like each other, remember? So, why are you hugging me, worried about me, and following me?"

Her face fell and she looked like she was about to cry and that freaked me out.

"Oh, Bella! I'm so sorry for how mean I've been!" she wailed. "I never meant to be such a bitch. I was jealous. Hell, I still am. I mean, hello? You're boyfriend is the hottest guy in the school. I know that's no excuse, but I really am sorry."

I wasn't sure that I believed her, but I wanted her gone, so I just nodded. I guess she took that as forgiveness because she gave me another hug before heading back toward the elevator. I was left standing there trying to figure out what the hell had just happened.

"Bella?"

I looked over and saw Carlisle walking towards me. "Is everything okay?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm fine," I told him.

We walked down the hall to his office, and he stopped outside. "I'm off to do rounds, so I'll see you later. Tell Edward to invite you to dinner."

I grinned. "Will do. Thanks, Carlisle."

I opened the door to his office and smiled when I saw Edward sprawled out on his dad's couch. His school books were piled on the floor next to him along with notebooks and pens and he was fast asleep.

Closing the office door, I tried to be quiet as I moved toward Edward. Leaning on my crutches, I reached down and stroked a hand across his back.

"Edward," I said quietly, smiling when he mumbled something and rolled over.

His shirt rode up a bit, and I let out a quiet moan upon seeing his abs revealed. My boy was fit. There was no doubt about that.

"Like what you see?" he asked, startling me.

"Uh …" was my intelligent reply as I felt my face burning. "Yes?"

He let out a husky laugh before pulling his shirt down and sitting up. "How was your appointment?"

"Not bad. She gave me a journal to write in," I told him as I struggled to sit down next to him. He helped me onto the couch before throwing an arm around me.

"Think it'll help?"

I shrugged. "I hope so. I'm so tired of being angry all the time," I told him, feeling a kiss to the side of my head.

We hung out for a while before heading back to his house. On the ride there, I told him about Jessica and her weird behavior.

"Do you think she's really sorry or is she up to something?" I asked Edward, wanting his opinion.

"Obviously, I haven't known her as long as you, but I'm not sure she can be trusted. If she really meant the apology, great. If not …" he shrugged.

Later that night, I was woken up by the horrible nightmares that I'd been having, so I grabbed the journal. Even though Emily had said to use when I was feeling angry, I felt that writing down whatever I was feeling would work just as well.

I grabbed a pen from my desk, then climbed back into bed and began to write. I wrote for hours, and I wrote about everything. I wrote about how I felt when James had gotten to me, I wrote about the nightmares. The more I wrote about James the angrier I got until it all poured out on the pages of the journal.

Before long, I'd filled ten pages with my thoughts, feelings, and fears. Finally, I was exhausted, and I laid the pen aside and closed the journal. I was surprised at how much better I felt. It was if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Feeling lighter than I had in days, I fell into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

**a/n: Next update will be Tuesday.**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: I'm sorry this is so late. RL got in the way, but I promise to post tomorrow as well. Thanks so much for all the reviews! We've got a couple of chapters left and then I'll start posting another story not long after.**

* * *

**EPOV**

"Whoohoo! Spring break, baby!" Emmett hollered down the hall as he ran toward the doors.

"Emmett Swan! As long as you're in this building, the rules still apply," Mrs. Shapiro warned him.

It was hilarious watching as he deflated at her chastising before he walked as quickly as he could toward the school doors.

"I swear, he's just an overgrown child," Bella said as we followed Emmett outside. She'd gotten her cast off the week before, and she was glad to be free of it and the crutches.

"I think you're right, sweet girl," I said, chuckling before I pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"Are you ready for camping Swan style?" Emmett hollered at me as I walked Bella toward my car.

"Not really," I honestly answered. I'd never really been camping before. Not in tents. Carlisle's idea of roughing it was to rent a fancy cabin in the woods, and my mother… well, she didn't camp at all.

The Swans went camping every spring break, and I'd been invited along. It wasn't like I'd had any plans. Mom had tried to get me to visit her in Florida, but I'd politely declined. So when Bella had asked me if I wanted to camp with them, I'd agreed.

"You'll love it," Bella assured me as we pulled into my driveway.

"I'm not so sure about that. I'm not a big outdoorsy person. Hell, I hate bugs," I admitted quietly.

Bella let out a snicker. "You'll do fine."

We spent the afternoon curled up on my bed, watching movies until Bella needed to head home. Her parents were picking me up at three in the morning, so that we could begin the six hour trip into Canada. It was a good thing that my passport was up to date. From what Bella had told me, we'd be camping at a place called Golden Swan National Park. They'd be going there every spring break for years, and all week I had been told about the beauty of the place.

A little after six, I dropped Bella off at her house before heading home, packing, and trying to go to sleep. I tossed and turned most of the night, finally falling asleep a few hours before my alarm went off.

By two forty-five, I was ready with my bags by the door. Carlisle and Esme had gotten up as well to say goodbye and wish me luck.

"Don't get eaten by a bear," Carlisle said with a grin on his face.

"Well, darn. There go my plans," I replied sarcastically.

At three on the dot, Charlie pulled into the drive in a rented van, and I hugged and said goodbye to my folks before heading outside. Charlie greeted me with a smile, tossed my bags in the back of the van, and told me to get in.

I climbed into the middle seat next to Bella and was soon cuddled up next to her. At some point, I must have dozed off because Bella woke me up about three hours into the trip.

"Bathroom and snack break," she said.

Opening the door, I climbed out and stretched. My shirt road up a bit, and I noticed Bella staring at me. Grinning at her, I tugged my shirt down, threw and arm around her shoulders, and we walked inside.

After a much needed bathroom break, I found the Swans standing in line at the fast food joint that was inside the gas station. With a breakfast burrito and cup of orange juice in hand, I followed them back to the van and climbed in.

I dozed off and on for the last part of our trip until we reached the border. We all had to show the guards passports and answer questions. Fun times, but eventually we were cleared and on we went. It wasn't long after the border that we pulled onto a road that welcomed us to the Golden Swan National Park.

After checking in with the park rangers, Charlie continued down a road and before long we were pulling into a grassy area surrounded by woods.

"Okay, gang. Out you go. Let's get these tents set up!" he said with way too much enthusiasm.

Grumbling and groaning, the six of us began to unload the van. Emmett, Jasper, and I were to share one tent with the girls in another, and then Charlie and Renee in a smaller tent. It seemed to take forever, but the three of us guys finally got our tent set up. I was secretly hoping that it would be like that tent from _Harry Potter_; the kind equipped with bunk beds and a kitchen. Sadly, it wasn't.

"Guys, come grab your sleeping bags and pillows," Renee called out after I took a quick tour of the tent. It was one of those three person tents and was roomy enough until Emmett got in it. Add in Jasper, and it felt a bit crowded, but I'd make do.

Walking out of the tent, I took the sleeping bag from Renee and the pillow she handed me. I headed back into the tent and set up in a corner. Emmett threw his sleeping bag and duffle bag down across from me, and Jasper on the other side of him.

Once everyone's tents were set up, Charlie and Renee asked Bella and I to go fill up some water jugs from the water pump while Rose, Emmett, Jasper and Alice gathered up wood for a fire.

Bella seemed to know where she was going so I tagged along behind her. We walked quite a ways before we came to a water pump standing alone next to the dirt path that we'd followed.

"This thing is a bitch to use," she said with a scowl as she set the jug down and began to move the handle of the pump. It took a few minutes before water finally began to flow from the pump, and in no time we had the jugs filled up.

"So, this might be a dumb question, but where are the bathrooms and showers?" I asked, afraid that I wasn't going to like the answer.

Bella let out a laugh. "Didn't anyone tell you? We're roughing it, babe. The woods are your toilet, but Mom's got a solar shower that we can use. She'll string up a shower curtain between a couple of trees, and then hang the solar shower from a branch."

I must have looked horrified because Bella had to stop and set her jug of water down while she roared with laughter.

"You're joking, right?" I begged.

She shook her head before picking up her jug. "Nope. It's a week of us and mother nature. We have a battery operated radio and a satellite phone for emergencies, but we're cut off out here for the most part. No indoor toilets or showers. No electricity."

I was starting to regret agreeing to this, but it was too late to do anything about it. I was at the mercy of mother nature for a week.

* * *

"Up and at 'em, kids! We've got a hike to get started!" Renee hollered, and I rolled over in my sleeping bag with a groan.

My body was sore from the two mile hike we'd done the day before, and today's plans included a five mile hike around some lake. Flopping over in my sleeping bag, I let out a heavy sigh and began to get dressed.

Once I was dressed, I crawled out of the tent and made a beeline for the coffee that was sitting on a grate over the fire. I poured a cup and downed it, despite how hot it was.

"Today's hike will take about four and a half hours, maybe longer. So, grab your backpacks and add your water and snacks. If you want, go put a swimsuit on. It might be warm enough to swim in the lake," Charlie said.

I watched as the Swans enthusiastically gathered their stuff and discussed the impending hike. I didn't understand how they could be so freaking excited about it. I'd known that they were outdoorsy people, but I'd had no idea that they were crazy outdoorsy people.

"Ready, gang?" Charlie asked, and I wanted to say no. I wanted to beg to stay behind and guard the camp, but I knew it wouldn't happen.

With a reluctant nod, I took the walking stick that was handed to me, and followed them down a trail near our camp. Seeing as how early it was, there wasn't a lot of talking going on, and I was having a hard time keeping my eyes open.

The first hour of the hike was spent stepping over fallen branches and swatting the bugs that were beginning to come out. If I was honest, I wasn't really enjoying myself. All that changed thirty minutes later.

The dense forest opened up, and the trail led us down a hill toward a beautiful lake.

"Welcome to Golden Lake, Edward," Charlie said, grinning at my reaction.

It was breathtaking. Bright blue water surrounded by fields of flowers and wildlife. It was one of the most picturesque settings I'd ever seen. I grabbed my camera out of my bag and snapped picture after picture. Eventually, I put my camera away, and we began the trek down the path toward the lake.

The path was a bit steep, and I stumbled more than once, grateful that someone was always there to catch me before I fell on my face. Half a mile later, we were parallel with the lake. I wanted a closer look, but I wasn't sure if I was allowed to walk through the wildflowers.

"Go for it," Charlie said.

Walking carefully through the knee high flowers and grass, I made my way to the lake's edge. It wasn't a huge lake, but it was teeming with life. Cranes and birds of all sorts flittered around the edge, the air alive with their songs. Frogs hopped around and croaked, and I could easily spend the rest of my day right there.

"Gorgeous, isn't it?" Bella asked from behind me.

"It's amazing. Words can't describe it," I told her with a grin, my disdain for hiking completely forgotten for the moment.

Renee suggested that we hike a while longer and eat lunch on the other side of the lake where there was a small clearing with some rocks. I couldn't see it from where I stood, but I was game. We got back on the trail, and I was in a much better mood as we rounded the lake.

A little halfway to our destination, Charlie stopped us all and pointed out the deer that were partially concealed in the flowers. Out came the camera once again. Bella teased me about how much of a city boy I was, and I couldn't argue with her. I'd never spent so much time in nature before.

Before long, we were all seated on flat rocks that jutted out of the grass and ate our peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Bella informed me that it was the one thing Renee could make without screwing it up. I kept my mouth shut, but I figured that Renee could mess it up if she tried hard enough.

Lunch done, we sat around to give our stomachs' time to digest, then we decided to go for a swim. I grimaced as the mud squished between my toes as I followed Jasper and Emmett into the lake. The water was colder than I'd anticipated, and I let out a gasp.

"Come on, Eddie! Jump in and get it over with!" Emmett yelled right before he jumped in, splashing Jasper and I.

The rest of the week ended up being pretty fantastic, and I was even able to spend some alone time with Bella. We'd taken a walk in the dark, not too far from the campsite but far enough away that we could make out without interruption.

By the time were were packing up our stuff to head home, I was almost sad to go. Not horribly sad, I did miss the comforts of home after all, but a bit sad. I'd come to terms with mother nature and found that I didn't mind her so much.

* * *

After spring break, time seemed to fly by. Looking back, I couldn't have told you where it went. All I knew was that prom was in a two weeks, and graduation was two weeks after that. And I swore prom was all anyone was talking about. Especially, Rose and Alice. They spent every lunch hour talking about it. I'd kind of hoped that we could do a Swan/Cullen prom thing, but Alice and Rose had shot my idea down. Rose and Emmett were graduating and wanted to attend their last prom together. Alice had told me that she wasn't about to miss her first prom, so I was left wondering if I should even bother to ask Bella. I knew how she felt about school dances.

I'd been contemplating asking her, but Bella had become slightly distant over the past week and whenever I asked her if something was wrong, she'd say nothing and that she was fine. I finally decided to forgo asking her to prom, knowing that she wouldn't say yes.

"I'm surprised that you haven't asked me to prom yet," Bella commented later in the week as we worked on a lab in biology.

"I figured you wouldn't want to go, so I decided against asking," I told her, catching a flicker of something in her eye.

"Oh," she said quietly. "I guess that's understandable given how I felt about the Valentine's dance."

I set down the slide that I had picked up and looked at her. "Did you want to go?"

She shrugged before muttering, "not really." The rest of class was spent in silence, and I couldn't figure out what had just happened. _Was she upset that I hadn't asked her? Was I supposed to have asked her regardless of how she felt about it?_ I was left confused and a bit upset as she walked out of class without me. _Seriously, what the hell had just happened?_

I caught up with her as she made for her locker, and I reached out and grasped her arm.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Nothing," she said cooly as she shut her locker and told me she'd see me later.

I ran a hand through my hair as I watched her walk away. I was confused as all hell, and truth be told, I was getting a bit pissed.

"Yo, Ed! You okay?" Emmett asked me.

"I think Bella's mad at me, although I'm not sure why," I confessed.

Rose came up beside Emmett and smacked me on the back of the head.

"What the hell, Rose?"

"Really, Edward? Really? You can't think of any reason she'd be mad at you?" she scoffed, scorn in her voice.

"It's because I didn't ask her to prom, right?"

Emmett's eyebrows rose up before he shook his head at me. "Dude! You fucked up, man. You've gotta ask your girl to prom."

I glared at him. He wasn't helping. "Why would I ask her when I know that she's going to say no? Do you all not remember the last time I tried to ask her to a dance?"

Rose looked at me like I was an idiot, and I was beginning to feel like one. "It's not just that you didn't ask her to prom, Cullen. Think real hard and perhaps it'll come to you."

I watched them leave even more confused then I had been. _What else I had I supposedly done wrong?_

At home that night, I spent an hour ranting and raving to Carlisle about how confusing women were.

"You have no idea, son. It gets worse."

That was not what I wanted to hear. "So, how do I fix this?"

Carlisle had no advice for me, and Esme's advice was to talk to Bella. That was kind of hard to do since she was ignoring my texts, emails, and calls. Finally, I decided the only way to get her to talk to me was to show up at the diner.

I drove to the diner and made sure to get a seat in Bella's section. She heaved a sigh when she saw me.

"What can I get you?" she asked, not looking at me.

"A chocolate milkshake and for us to talk."

Ten minutes later, I had my shake, and Bella sat down across from me, fiddling with the silverware on the table. I hadn't planned on having our talk in public where we could be overheard, but screw it.

I took a breath before speaking. "I'm sorry for not asking you to prom. I assumed that you wouldn't want to go, so that was why I didn't ask. I didn't realize how important prom was to you."

Silence met my apology and after forever, she finally spoke.

"It's not just about prom, Edward," she said.

My brow furrowed, and I found myself getting a bit annoyed with her. "Well, what the hell is it about then? Because for the life of me, I have no idea what I did wrong."

Her head snapped up, and she finally looked at me. "Forget it, Edward. Just forget it."

I was taken back by her anger. "You never once mentioned that you wanted to go to prom, Bella. You never joined in on any of the millions of conversations your sisters have had about it, so how was I supposed to know that you wanted to go?"

"You didn't even ask!" she hissed.

"Why would I, when I knew that it was going to end in rejection?"

"I can't do this. I have to get back to work," she said, standing up and walking away.

I sat there stunned for a few minutes before paying for my shake and leaving. I drove home in a daze. I didn't understand Bella's line of reasoning or her thinking. _Why would she want me to ask her to a dance that she didn't want to go to?_

There was an awkwardness amongst myself and Bella for the rest of the week. Bella and Rose weren't speaking to me, Alice shot me sympathetic looks, and the Emmett and Jasper were clueless as to how to help me. It got the point where I couldn't take the silent treatment anymore. I loved Bella, but we couldn't go on like this. Maybe we needed a break, so with my heart breaking I decided that maybe a separation would do us good.

I pulled Bella aside Friday afternoon in the parking lot and asked to speak with her. Of course, I got no response, but she got into the Volvo and waited for me to speak.

I stared at the dashboard, gathering my thoughts before I began to speak.

"I get that your mad at me, but I think that you're being unreasonable. I get that your pissed that I didn't ask you to prom, but I'm pissed that you're pissed at me for not asking you to a dance you wouldn't even go to. As for the other crime that I've supposedly committed … I'd like to know what I did that is cause for the silent treatment, because I gotta tell you, it's petty and childish."

I stopped talking, giving her a chance to say something, anything, but all I got was silence. I nodded as I stared down at my hands. I took another breath as I prepared myself for the pain and heartbreak that were about to happen.

"I love you, Bella, but I can't do this anymore. I think that we need a break from each other. Not forever, but for a while."

She didn't say a word, she didn't even look at me. She just opened the door and got out. I watched as she walked over to Emmett's jeep and climbed in. Not once did she look back at me. So, I guess that was that.

I drove home slowly, having to pull off the road at one point because the tears were clouding my eyes, making it impossible to drive. It took several minutes before I regained my composure and made it home.

"There you are, Edward. Are you okay?" Esme asked as I walked in.

I shook my head, knowing that if I spoke the tears would fall.

"What happened?"

I broke down and I told her everything. I told her how I was angry at Bella for being angry with me and over something so trivial and stupid. I told her about the silent treatment and how I couldn't take it anymore.

"I think a break will be good for the two of you. Although, I think that there's something else going on with Bella."

I shrugged. I couldn't even begin to fathom what had caused Bella to start acting so strangely. I knew that Bella was still going to therapy, but she only went once a month now, and we'd all be relieved when we'd been told that there wouldn't be a trial. James' attorney had convinced him to plead guilty, pretty much telling him that he didn't have a shot at winning with a jury trial. He'd been sentenced to twenty-five years with a chance of parole in fifteen.

I figured once Bella and I broke up, that Emmett and Jasper would no longer be my friends, so I was relieved when they came over the next day to hang out. I'd apologized for breaking up with Bella and was surprised to hear that Jasper and Alice had broken up at one point.

"These things happen. If it's meant to be, it'll work out. Give her some time," Jasper told me.

Emmett nodded. "Something's going on with her, but she won't tell us. She's been off for a few weeks."

I spent the rest of my weekend wallowing and alternating between being sad and being angry. I also wasn't looking forward to school on Monday. Forks was a small town, and I was fairly sure if people didn't already know that we'd broken up, they would by the end of Monday.

As I pulled my Volvo into the lot, I noticed a group of girls giggling and huddling near the entrance of the school. Ignoring them, I grabbed my bag and walked past them, intent on getting to my locker.

I could hear their footsteps behind me, and it only served to piss me off. It didn't matter that I was technically single. My heart would always belong to Bella, and I hoped that after she figured things out, we'd get back together. Maybe that was stupid and wishful thinking on my part, but it was how I felt. She was it for me. There would never be anyone else.

"Ask him," one of the freshman girls whispered.

Sighing, I turned to look at them. "Don't bother. I'm not interested," I told them, not feeling bad at all when their faces fell.

It was the same the rest of the day. One girl after another approached me, and I turned them all down. Rumors were running wild around the halls, but I ignored them all. None of them were close to the truth.

At lunch I grabbed a slice of pizza and a soda and stopped halfway to our table. It was no longer our table. It was their table, and it saddened me. I have no doubt that Emmett, Jasper, and Alice wouldn't object to me sitting with them, but it would make things awkward. Turning around, I headed out the door and found a picnic table near some trees. I sat there eating my lunch by myself and feeling a bit like an outcast.

"Mind if we join you?" Alice asked, and I saw her and Jasper standing there.

I gestured for them to take a seat. "Are you sure Bella won't get mad at you for eating with me?"

Alice shook her head. "You're our friend regardless if you're dating Bella or not. That's not going to change. It might make things a bit awkward, but so what."

The three of us ate quietly until I couldn't help myself. I had to know. "Alice? What else has Bella so upset? She and Rose mentioned that I'd done something else besides not ask Bella to prom, but I have no idea what they're talking about."

Alice gave me a sad look. "I don't know, Edward, but I'll do my best to find out. If she won't talk to me about it, I'll ask Rose."

I nodded my thanks. "I love her. I always will, but I refuse to be punished for something I didn't do."

"I understand, Edward. I do. I'll let you know what I find out," she said, dropping a kiss on my head as she walked by and threw away her trash.

The week passed by painfully slow, and I had to force myself to go to school each day. I would pass Bella in the hallway and not once did she look at me. What had me more worried was the fact that she didn't seem upset at all that we were no longer together.

Friday afternoon, Alice caught up with me and dragged me into an empty classroom. Shutting the door, she turned to face me and she looked furious. She began pacing around the room, muttering to herself about idiots and stupid people.

"Alice? Did you find anything out?"

She let out a harsh laugh. "I found out that my sisters are idiots."

"Uh ––" I began to say before being interrupted.

"For some reason, Bella thinks that you're still in love with Tanya, and when you broke up with her, it just proved she was right."

"Huh?" I asked, incredibly confused. "I was never in love with Tanya. Bella knows that, or at least I thought she did."

"Have you spoken to Tanya recently?"

I shook my head. "No. The last time I talked to Tanya was when she came up and you all met her. Irina and I email once in a while, but I swear to you, I haven't been in contact with Tanya at all. I don't know where Bella would have gotten that idea."

"That's what I told her and Rose. I told them there was no way you were in love with Tanya when it was so obvious that you're in love with Bella. I'll get to the bottom of this, Edward. Just hang in there."

I nodded, extremely and incredibly grateful that I had Alice looking out for me.

I'd just gotten into my car after school let out when my phone rang. Imagine my surprise when I saw that it was Irina.

"Irina. This is a surprise. How are you?"

She let out a sigh. "I'm fine, but I'm afraid that Tanya's going to try and make your life hell. I was using her laptop earlier and noticed that she'd left her email up. I went to close it when I noticed an email draft from Tanya to Bella."

"What? How is that even possible? Tanya doesn't have Bella's email address."

"I think she must have gotten it from my email address book. Bella and I have emailed a couple of times," she told me with an apology in her voice. "I looked through the rest of Tanya's emails and she's sent several emails to Bella over the past week and a half. And, Edward? They aren't nice emails. They're filled with lies. Tanya claims that the two of you have rekindled your relationship and that you can't wait until summer so that you can be with her."

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," I growled.

"I wish I was," she said with a sigh.

I pinched the bridge of my nose as I explained that Bella and I had broken up, and that I'd been the one to break up with her because she'd been distant and cold.

"Her sister, Alice, told me that Bella thought I was in love with Tanya. Why the hell would Tanya do this?"

"I don't know. She's been talking about you a lot lately, and I mean a lot. I thought she'd moved on, but I guess not. I'll talk to Mom and Dad. You need to talk to Bella and clear things up."

Later that night, I talked to both Carlisle and Esme. They had been great for the past week, listening to me as I dealt with the breakup and Bella in general. I told them how Alice had found out that Bella thought I was in love with Tanya.

"Why in the world would Bella think that?" Esme asked.

"Apparently, Tanya has been emailing Bella telling her lies. Irina called me this afternoon to warn me that she'd found an email from Tanya to Bella."

Esme scowled as she listened to what I was saying. "Someone needs to put Tanya in her place. Although, why Bella would believe anything that nasty girl has to say is beyond me."

I ran a hand over my face. "I don't know why she'd believe her either. Irina says I need to talk to Bella and explain what's going on."

Before going to bed that night, I sent Alice a text telling her what I'd learned and that I needed to talk to Bella. She agreed and told me to meet her at the park at nine the next morning. She'd make sure Bella was there. I hoped that Bella would listen to me, and I hoped that Bella would explain to me why she believed Tanya's lies.

* * *

**A/n: Now before you get angry and throw things at me, just remember that I love a happy ending. I just like to make my characters work for it. You know this by now. I will admit that I was tearing up a bit as I wrote the last part of this, but it had to be done. There is a method to my madness.**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Well, some of you weren't too happy with Bella last chapter. I get it, but remember that she's a teenage girl who will have moments of immaturity or feelings of insecurity. **

**Anyway, thank you all for reviewing! Three more chapters to go. I think I said two chapters yesterday, but it's three.**

* * *

I hadn't wanted spring break to end. It had been a fantastic week and spending time with Edward was always a plus. He'd been so awkward and out of his element at first, but by the end of the week, we'd made a camper out of him.

The following weeks were great. Emily had helped me manage my anger and then we'd gotten word that James had agreed to plead guilty. That meant I wouldn't have to deal with a trial, and I wouldn't have to face him again. Something that I was very relieved by.

But as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. Things between Edward and I had been fantastic, but that all changed when I got an email in my inbox. I had just gotten home from the diner and sat down at my old computer to check my email. Imagine my surprise when I found an email from Tanya, Edward's ex-girlfriend. I couldn't figure out why she'd be emailing me, much less how she'd gotten my email.

I debated for a few minutes on whether or not to open it before curiosity got the better of me. With a bit of trepidation, I opened the email and scanned it. I couldn't believe what I was reading. My breathing picked up and my heart felt like it was being ripped from my chest. I let out a sob, quickly putting a hand over my mouth as to not alert my family. I wasn't quick enough.

Rose came into my room and asked me what was wrong. I shook my head before pointing toward the computer. I watched as Rose read the email, then a litany of curses came out of her mouth.

"She's fucking with you, Bells. You know that."

"Do I?" I choked out.

"Yeah. Edward loves you," she said, putting her arm around me.

"According to Tanya, he loves her."

Rose sighed. "Again, she's just trying to get to you. Although, why she suddenly felt the need to email you is beyond me. She's up to something."

I nodded, admitting that Rose was probably right. Tanya was jealous of me and was just trying to hurt me. However, there was a niggling little voice in my head that was telling me that Rose was wrong.

It wasn't long before I heard from Tanya again. I tried to ignore her words that Edward had lost interest me and was only staying with me out of pity. I didn't want to believe her, but prom was quickly approaching and Edward hadn't asked me. I didn't necessarily want to go, but I would when Edward asked. But he never did. He never even brought it up, and all I could think was that Tanya was right; he'd lost interest in me.

I didn't mention Tanya's latest email to Rose because I knew Rose would try and convince me that Tanya was lying. But it was the last email that I got from Tanya that almost sent me over the edge. Tanya had forwarded me an email that Edward had sent her. An email where he proclaimed his love for her and that he was trying to find a way to break up with me. I lost it.

I tossed books across my room and threw myself on my bed, tears falling. A little while later Rose came into my room and read the emails. She was furious. Not at Tanya but at Edward. She swore she'd castrate him for hurting me. I shook my head. Not matter what I was feeling, I loved Edward and didn't want him hurt.

The next day at school was hard. I found it hard to look at Edward knowing what he'd told Tanya. I tried not to believe her words or his, but I couldn't find myself to ask him if it was true. However, I did get up the nerve to ask him why he hadn't asked me to prom. He told me there was no point in asking me when I was clearly not interested in going. I was a bit taken back. The Edward I knew would've asked me regardless of whether I wanted to go or not.

Later that night as I was at work, Edward came in, and I let out a weary sigh. I didn't want to see him, much less talk to him, but he insisted. I sat down across from him and listened as he spoke and apologized for not asking me to prom. I waited for the moment when he would bring up Tanya, but he never did and that pissed me off. _Why the hell was he just stringing me along? _Finally, I told him I had to get back to work.

Honestly, I wasn't surprised when he broke up with me later in the week. I'd been expecting it. After all, he was in love with Tanya, and I had the emails to prove it. Tanya had forwarded me several more emails from Edward's account to her. Eventually, I blocked her email address so I wouldn't have to see them anymore.

I was absolutely miserable after he broke up with me, and I couldn't hide my misery from Mom or Dad.

"What's going on with you?" Mom asked Thursday night.

I broke down and told her how Edward had broken up with me. Mom was confused as to why he would do that, and I didn't feel like explaining it to her. I just told her that we wanted different things. I didn't think she was convinced, but she let it go.

Dad on the other hand was furious. He went on and on about how dare Edward hurt his baby girl and threatened to have him arrested. Eventually, Mom got him to calm down. Dad apologized for getting so upset, but I didn't blame him. He was just being a good dad.

* * *

"Come on, Bella. Please, please, please go with me," Alice begged Friday night.

"Why are you going to the park so early in the morning?" I asked, a bit suspicious. I could tell she was up to something, but I didn't know what.

She rolled her eyes at my question. "Because I want to show you something. Please come with me. Please!"

Knowing she'd annoy me until I gave in, I nodded then kicked her out of my room. I wanted to wallow in my misery, and I did just that. I spent the night in my room, eating ice cream, and reading romance novels.

Nine o'clock Saturday morning came too quickly. I dragged my feet as Alice tried to drag me toward her car. Sighing, I got in, more than a little annoyed with her. I didn't say a word to her as we drove toward the small park, which more of a field than anything. She pulled into the gravel parking lot and we got out. I slowly walked behind her as she skipped toward the swings.

"Alice, what are we doing here?" I asked again, my voice impatient.

"She brought you here so we could talk," I heard Edward say from behind me.

I whirled around and found myself face to face with him. He looked as miserable as I felt, although he had no reason to look miserable. He'd gotten what he wanted. He was with Tanya now so why the hell he wanted to talk was beyond me. Furious that I'd been conned, I pushed past him and headed toward Alice's car only to be stopped when his hand grasped my arm.

"Hear me out," he said quietly.

I yanked my arm out of his grasp and crossed my arms across my chest, realizing that I couldn't actually leave since Alice had the car keys. "Fine. Talk."

He ran a hand through his hair before he began to speak. "I got a call from Irina the other day, letting me know that Tanya was sending you emails. I had no idea that Tanya was doing that nor why she was doing it."

I raised an eyebrow, not buying a word of it. "Oh, really? You had no idea that the love of your life was emailing your girlfriend?"

"I don't love her, Bella. It's you I love," he said, his voice earnest.

"I don't believe you, Edward. How can I? I've seen the emails you've sent her!" I cried out, fist clenched at my side.

A look of shock came over his face. "What are you talking about? I haven't emailed Tanya since I moved to Forks."

I was beyond furious that he was lying. I'd seen the proof with my own eyes! I'd read the emails that he'd sent her. _How dare he stand there and fucking lie to me!_

"Don't lie to me! Don't! I've seen the emails. I know exactly how you feel about her and what you really think of me!" I shouted at him.

"Bullshit!" he hollered, stepping closer and getting in my face. "You know nothing. I've never lied to you, why would I start now? Huh? When I tell you that I haven't emailed Tanya, I'm telling you I haven't done it."

I shook my head, taking a step back, refusing to believe him.

"If you don't believe me, then you can talk to Irina. I'll call her right now. She saw the emails on Tanya's computer. She'll tell you the truth," he said, pulling out his phone and pushing a button.

Moments later, I was handed his phone and listening as Irina explained to me that Tanya had gone off the deep end. She'd gotten heavily back into drugs and was convinced that she and Edward meant to be.

"She's lost her ever-loving mind. I told my parents and showed them the emails. They've confiscated her computer and are sending her back to rehab."

"What about the emails that Edward sent her? Can you explain that?" I asked, interrupting her.

Irina let out a sigh before speaking. She informed me that she'd discovered that Tanya had hacked into an old email account of Edward's that he'd used before they'd broken up. Then she wrote and sent the emails to herself before forwarding them onto me. It sounded too farfetched, but I couldn't honestly think of any reason that Irina would lie to me.

Wordlessly, I handed the phone back to Edward before walking away. My mind was racing. I headed toward the swings where Alice was, and she watched me with a knowing look.

"He's telling the truth you know," Alice told me, watching as I sat down on one of the swings.

"How do you know, huh? How do you know that he, Tanya, and Irina aren't just screwing with me?"

She shot me a disgusted look. "Don't be stupid, Bells. You remember how crazy jealous Tanya was when we met up with them. She's off her freaking rocker. Seriously, Bella. Why the hell would you believe that skank over the man you love?"

I sat on the swing staring at the sand beneath my shoes as I thought about what she, Irina, and Edward had said. I knew that Alice would never lie to me about something so important and if she believed Edward, then chances were good that Edward was innocent in all of this. But if he was so innocent then why had he broken up with me?

"Bella?" I heard Edward asked from beside me.

Slowly, I raised my head and looked at him. His hands were shoved in his pocket as he stared at me.

"Why would you believe Tanya?" he asked, hurt written all over his face.

I shrugged. I didn't know. Okay, I did, but I didn't want to say it out loud. I was already beginning to feel incredibly stupid and explaining why I'd fallen for her lies would only show them how stupid I really was.

"Bella?" Alice asked quietly.

"Chalk it up to insecurity," I mumbled.

"Bella, what are you talking about? What do you have to be insecure about?" Alice asked.

I let out a sigh. "Tanya's gorgeous. She's tall, blond, blue-eyed. I'm plain, old mousy Bella. How could I possibly compete with that, and Tanya pointed that out several times. She played on my insecurities and she did it well."

Hearing myself saying it out loud, I realized how stupid it all sounded. I really was an idiot. I heard a sigh from beside me, then saw Edward kneel in front of me. I adverted my gaze; I couldn't look at him. I felt a finger under my chin, and my face was turned so that I was looking at Edward.

"Haven't I told you time after time how beautiful you are?" he asked quietly. I nodded because he was always telling me that, though I personally felt he needed to have his eyes checked. "Haven't I told you that you're it for me? That you're the one I love with all my heart?"

Again, I nodded.

"Then why did you buy into her bullshit?"

"I didn't at first. It wasn't until I saw the emails from you to her that it all hit me. In the emails you said–" my voice hitched as I thought back to those emails. "You said that I was nothing compared to Tanya. That you were with me out of pity."

"But I didn't say those things. I never wrote those emails," he told me, honesty showing in his eyes.

"I know that now, but I didn't at the time!" I snapped. "At the time, all it did was reaffirm what Tanya had been telling me. I get it, I'm an idiot. You don't have to tell me. But answer me this, Edward. If you weren't interested in being with Tanya then why did you break up with me? Was I suddenly not good enough for you?"

Not knowing if I really wanted to hear his answer, I got off the swing and pushed my way past him. I heard Alice tell Edward to give me a moment. I walked toward Alice's car, stopping only when I reached it. By that time, tears were falling and my self-loathing was at an all all-time high.

I yanked on the passenger door only to find it locked. Frustrated, I plopped down on the hood and buried my face in my hands. I don't know how long I sat there but suddenly I found myself being pulled into a warm embrace. Strong arms wrapped themselves around me and held me tight. I clung to Edward, my hands clenching his sweatshirt. Finally, I pulled away, using the sleeve of my shirt to wipe the tears from my face.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, still unable to look Edward in the eye. "I'm sorry that I didn't talk to you about the emails and that I let my insecurities get the better of me."

"I'm sorry, too. I never wanted to break up with you, but I couldn't take it any more Bella. You completely pulled away from me. I was at a loss as to what I could have done to make you so cold and distant. You really hurt me, Bella."

The shame that I felt was almost overwhelming. Never once did I stop to think that my actions were hurting Edward. _Oh, no._ I'd been too caught up in my little pity party to even notice. Hearing him say those words was like being stabbed in the heart with a knife.

I finally met his gaze as I mumbled one apology after another. I hadn't meant to hurt him. Gazing at me softly, he told me he knew that. He sat down next to me and began to talk. I don't know how long we talked, but it seemed like forever. We talked about my insecurities, my fear that he would leave me, and we talked about how he felt that his trust in me was cracked a bit and it would take time to fix. I understood that, and I was so angry not only at myself but at Tanya. I wanted to head down to Phoenix and kick her ass, but Edward told me she wasn't worth it. Besides, she was going to be locked up in rehab for a while. That made me feel a little bit better.

A little while later my stomach let out a ferocious growl. I'd only had some granola for breakfast, and I realized that I was starving. Edward let out a small laugh.

"Perhaps we should feed you," he suggested.

I nodded before I asked a question that was bothering me. "Can you ever forgive me?"

His hands cupped my face as he looked into my eyes. "Yes."

I nodded, incredibly relieved before asking one more question. "Will we ever be together again?"

He nodded with a small smile. "Yes, but it will take a bit of time. I love you. I always will, but I think perhaps we should go slow. Start over if you will."

That was far more than I could have hoped for.

* * *

It had been a month and a half since the whole Tanya fiasco. Her parents happened to call when I was at Edward's house and they talked to both of us. They'd apologized for Tanya's behavior, something that pissed me off. Tanya was old enough to be held accountable for her own behavior. We were then informed that Tanya was in a rehab facility on the west coast, and she wasn't to have any contact with either Edward or myself. We'd see if that actually held up.

Since Edward and I had cleared the air, I'd spent more time at Emily's office working through things. She'd patiently listened as I'd berated myself for being so gullible and stupid. She'd told me I was neither. I wasn't so sure I believed her. I spent many hours in her office discussing my feelings toward Tanya, Edward, and myself.

"How are you and Edward doing?" Emily asked me during our last session.

"Okay, I guess," I said with a shrug. "We're taking things slow. We're just friends for now."

She nodded. "I think that's a wise decision. It'll give you a chance to start over."

Emily was right. It was giving us a chance to start over. We'd hang out with my siblings, go out to eat, or watch movies together. We talked way more than we ever had. I mean we'd talked a lot before, but now we talked more openly about everything.

Friday at lunch, I watched as poor Edward was harassed by several girls on his way through the lunch. He brushed them off, annoyance written on his face. He'd made it more than clear that he wasn't interested in them, despite the fact that he was single. Sort of. Okay, he was, but he'd told me that I was the only girl he wanted.

"When will they get the freaking hint?" he scowled as he sat down next to me at the table.

"Never, my man. Never. You're a hot commodity," Em said with a grin. "I've been there, Ed. It's a rough life."

Rose rolled her eyes at his words. Rose had apologized to Edward for believing in Tanya's lies as well. Edward being Edward, forgave her just as he'd forgiven me.

"Well they need to get a clue," he growled before shoveling some mash potatoes into his mouth. I agreed with him.

"So what are we doing tonight?" Jasper asked.

"There's a movie playing in Port Angeles that I really want to see," Alice said, and I barely held back a groan. Alice really wanted to go see some cheesy romance and had been begging all week to go. Jasper being the sucker, yet wonderful person that he was, agreed to take her.

"You guys want to go with?" he asked.

I shook my head as Rose nodded, saying that she and Emmett were in. Emmett looked less than thrilled, but he knew better than to argue with Rose.

"You coming with, Ed?" Jasper asked.

Edward shook his head. "Nah. You guys go ahead. Bella and I will find something else to do."

That comment got a few raised eyebrows and some lewd comments. Edward and I rolled our eyes at their immature behavior. We were nowhere near ready to do some of the things that Emmett suggested.

"Want to get some takeout and watch a non-romantic movie at my house?" he asked as he walked down the hall with me.

I nodded eagerly. "That would be great. But no zombie movies. I mean it."

"Yeah, yeah. No zombies for you," he said with a grin. He reached out and gave my hand a squeeze.

I made my way to gym class and made my way into the locker room. Gym class had been almost unbearable since Edward and I had broken up. I'd had to listen to the nasty comments coming from Jessica and Lauren.

I had just finished changing and had come out of the bathroom only to find myself surrounded by Jessica and Lauren.

"So what's going on with you and Edward? I thought he dumped your ass," Lauren commented.

"None of your business."

"He can't seriously be thinking of taking you back. I mean why would he, when he could have someone prettier?"

I barked out a laugh as I turned to face her. "Someone prettier? Like who? You? Yeah, I don't think so. How many times has Edward turned you down now? You'd think that you'd get the hint, but I guess you're hell bent on making yourself look pathetic. I gotta say, you're doing a great job of it."

Then I made the mistake of turning my back to Lauren as I went to put my clothes away in my gym locker. I hadn't gone very far when I heard an outraged screech and felt a painful yank to my hair. _What the—?_

"You fucking bitch!" Lauren screamed as she yanked on my hair again, causing me to let out a yelp of pain.

Thankfully, Jessica managed to get Lauren to let go of my hair. I rubbed my head as I Lauren shot a glare at Jessica before leaving the locker room. I turned to face Jessica and asked her if she planned on picking up where Lauren had left off.

She shook her head and mumbled something before walking away. As soon as I headed out to the gym, I made my way over to Coach Clapp and told him what had happened. He went over to Lauren and then I watched as he walked her out of the gym. The rest of class passed without incident. Once the bell rang, I headed down the hall toward biology, wincing at the massive headache that had formed.

"Are you okay?" Edward asked me as I sat down next to him.

With a sigh, I explained what had happened in gym class. He was furious and went on and on about how someone needed to put Lauren in her place.

"What the hell is with all these crazy girls?" he asked as he pulled out his notebook.

"You're a hot commodity, remember?" I said with a smirk.

"Yeah, yeah," he said with an eye roll.

I was so glad that we were on speaking terms again. Biology class had been hell when we'd been broken up. Having to seat next to him everyday, but not being able to touch or talk to him had been hell. And while, I wasn't sure we were at the point where casual touches were okay, at least I could talk to him.

After the final bell rang, I headed toward my locker and told Edward I'd meet him at his car. I quickly shoved some books in my bag and found him at his car, surrounded by some freshman groupies. From where I stood, I could see that his jaw was clenched. He really hated all the attention that he got. I guess it was a good thing that he'd decided to forgo trying out for baseball this year. If he was a baseball player, the groupies would be ten times as bad.

I knew the moment that Edward spotted me because a smile came across his face as well as a look of relief. I headed toward him, ignoring the girls that were surrounding the car and climbed into the passenger seat. He slid behind the wheel, shutting his door and turned to face me.

"Ready for a night full of non-romantic movies?"

"And non-zombie movies. Don't forget that."

Fifteen minutes later, we were pulling into the Cullen drive. I'd been so worried the first time I'd come over after Edward and I had made our peace. I'd been afraid that Esme and Carlisle would hate me, but they didn't. Esme had wrapped me up in a hug and told me that every relationship had its ups and downs.

We headed inside, tossing our backpacks in a corner of the living room, and I flopped down on the leather couch. Edward opened up a cabinet and started browsing the movies.

"What are you in the mood for?" he asked, interrupting my ogling of his very nice ass.

"Something violent," I told him. I was still furious about the hair-pulling incident. I mean, seriously. Were we in third grade? Lauren had been suspended until next Wednesday, and I knew when she came back that I'd probably catch hell from her.

"You know, zombie movies are violent," he commented with a grin my way.

I didn't know what it was about zombie movies that Edward loved so much. Jasper and Emmett were the same way, and I just didn't get it.

"No, Edward. Just no. I don't care if it's horror violence or a violent thriller, but no freaking zombies."

"Alright, alright. I was just sayin'."

After some playful arguing, we finally settled on _Hostel_. It was incredibly graphic, gruesome, and violent. I was slightly squeamish, and by the time the movie was over, I swore that I would never ever step foot in a hostel if I ever went abroad.

"Okay, so what's next? More gore or do you want something a little lighter?" he asked, taking the movie out of the DVD player.

"Something lighter."

A little after six, Esme arrived home and told Edward that Carlisle would be home by seven and that they were going out with friends in Port Angeles.

"Do you need me to make you something for dinner?" she asked us. Edward shook his head and informed her that we'd probably just order something.

Around eight, Esme and Carlisle left and Edward and I spent a good twenty minutes arguing over what to order. He wanted pizza, I wanted Chinese. In the end, we compromised and agreed to get burgers from the diner. I called in the order, and he went to pick it up, leaving me alone in the Cullen house.

Resisting the urge to snoop around, I plopped down in front of the cabinet that held the movies and tried to decide what to watch while we ate. There were so many movies to choose from, and I eventually settled on _Coraline_. It was one of my absolute favorite movies. I put in the player and waited for Edward to come back.

A few minutes later, the door opened and Edward let me know it was him. I met him in the kitchen where we put our food on plates and grabbed sodas to drink. We sat down next to each other on the couch and began to eat as the movie started.

"Man, I love this movie," he said through a mouthful of burger.

I nodded in agreement. It was a truly fantastic movie. Before long, our food was gone, and I was feeling a bit sleepy. I curled up on my side of the couch and at some point, I must have drifted off because I woke up to Edward gently shaking me.

"Hey, sleepy girl. It's a little after ten. Did you want me to take you home?"

With a sigh I sat up, covering my mouth as I yawned. "I'm so sorry I fell asleep. I didn't mean to."

Edward waved me off.

"As much fun as I've had tonight, I'm exhausted and I'm sure Alice will be laying in wait to tell me in great detail about the movie they saw."

We talked quietly as he drove me home and once we pulled into my driveway, he stopped the car and came around to open my door. With his hand on the small of my back, we walked up the steps to my porch.

"Got any plans for tomorrow?" he asked me.

"Nope. What do you have in mind?" I asked.

"It's supposed to be warmer tomorrow. How about a picnic?"

I quickly said yes. Giving me a smile, Edward said goodnight but not before he pressed a kiss to my cheek. I couldn't contain the smile that broke across my face. I felt like we were really starting to make progress. I wasn't sure if tomorrow would be classified as a date, but I was really looking forward to it.

* * *

**a/n: See? Things worked out. I know some of you will think he forgave her too quickly, but my Edwards tend to forgive quickly. See you all on Tuesday!**


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: Thanks for the reviews last chapter . I re-wrote this chapter several times, and I'm still not overly happy with it, but it is what it is. I also noticed that I tend to use the word "that" a lot. Like way too much. So, I tried to get rid of the uncessary ones, but there might be a few still lingering about.

* * *

**EPOV**

I woke up bright and early on Sunday morning, eager for what the day was to bring. I was taking Bella on a picnic today, and I was hoping she'd say yes when I asked her to be my girl again. We'd been taking things slow and it had been torture, but it was for the best. It gave us the chance to start over which was good. We'd talked and been even more open than we had been before. I felt that we were in a good place to start dating again, and I just hoped she felt the same.

After my shower, I bounded down the stairs, the smell of pancakes luring me toward the kitchen. I walked into it, then walked right back out. I really didn't need to see Carlisle's hands all over Esme first thing in the morning.

"Sorry, Ed!" Carlisle hollered from the kitchen, but I could tell he was smirking. Rolling my eyes, I slowly made my way back into the kitchen, keeping my eyes down just in case it really wasn't safe.

"Good morning, Edward!" Esme said, putting a plate of pancakes in front of me after I sat down.

Finally looking up, I gave her a smile and thanked her. She had a slight blush going on, and I knew she was slightly embarrassed by what I had witnessed. I was too, but I guess that was the price I paid when living with newlyweds, if they could still be considered that after five months.

"What are you plans for the day?" Esme asked me over breakfast.

"I'm taking Bella for picnic later. I figured we'd go down to First Beach since it's supposed to be nice out today," I told her.

"How are things with the two of you?" she asked. She and Carlisle had been very supportive of me, but I knew Esme wanted Bella and I back together.

"Good," I told her after taking a sip of my orange juice. "I'm going to ask her if she wants to go out on a date later in the week."

Esme beamed and told me to have a good day. She informed me that she and Carlisle were going antique shopping in Seattle. Carlisle looked less than thrilled, but he was going because Esme wanted to.

I killed some time by doing homework before deciding I needed to get ready for the picnic. As I stood in front of the fridge, I realized I hadn't planned things well at all. There wasn't much in the fridge for a picnic. Shutting the fridge door, I grabbed the cooler from the garage and got into my car to head to the grocery store. Once there, I grabbed some chicken strips, potato salad, cookies, and bottled water, and some ice.

Back at my car, I put everything in the cooler then sent Bella a text asking if she was ready. I got a response back immediately saying she was ready whenever I was. As I drove over to her house, I found myself feeling a bit nervous, and rolled my eyes at myself. I felt the way I did when I took her out on our first date, but this wasn't a date. Not really. After I pulled into the Swan's driveway, I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself. Getting out of the car, I headed up the walk and knocked on the door.

"Hey, Ed!" Emmett boomed as he opened the front door and let me in. "Bells will be ready in a sec."

I sat down on the couch next to him, watching as he and Jasper battled it out on some video game. A few minutes later, Bella walked into the living room and sat on the arm of the couch. She looked beautiful, not that she didn't always. Her long hair was in a braid that went down her back, and she was wearing some pretty blue long-sleeved shirt and a pair of jeans that clung to her.

"You ready?" I asked her.

"Yep," she said with a smile. Standing up, I said goodbye to Jasper and Emmett and we headed out to my car.

"I thought we'd go to First Beach for our da—picnic," I told her, quick to correct myself. "Is that okay?"

"Of course," she told me, giving me a shy smile.

We made small talk on the ride over to First Beach, and at moments it felt forced and awkward, and I couldn't figure out why. It wasn't as if we didn't hang out and talk all the time.

"Why is this so awkward?" I asked her.

She shook her head before letting out a small laugh. "I have no idea, but I was just thinking the same thing. I guess … maybe because it feels like a date, but we're not dating?"

"Would you … uh, would you want this to be a date?" I asked, almost afraid to hear her answer.

She looked out the passenger window before she quietly mumbled a yes. I let out a sigh of relief. "So, you would be okay with me asking you out?"

This time, she turned to face me. "Of course, I would. Despite the fact that I'm an idiot with self-esteem issues, I'm in love with you, Edward. I have been and always will be."

Checking to make sure no one was behind me, I pulled off on the side of the road and put the car in park, then I turned to face Bella.

"Hey. We've discussed this," I told her, cupping her face in my hands. "You are not an idiot, and we all have self-esteem issues. And, you have no idea how glad I am to hear that you still love me because I love you, too."

"Yeah?" she asked, tears in her eyes.

I nodded. "Yeah. I was planning on asking you to be my girl again sometime during our picnic, but now works too. So, will you?"

I wasn't prepared for her to throw herself at me, but I laughed as I caught her, burying my face in her hair. Eventually, she let go of me, and I couldn't resist leaning down and giving her a light peck on the lips. I had really missed kissing her, holding her, being hers.

"I take it that's a yes?" I asked, a smirk on my lips.

She rolled her eyes at me. "Yes, it's a yes."

Grinning, I put the car back in drive and continued our drive to First Beach. Twenty minutes later, I pulled into the public parking lot and as I got out of the car, I felt much more content than I had in a long while.

Opening the trunk, I handed Bella the blanket while I grabbed the picnic basket. Holding hands, we made our way onto the beach and after a few minutes, Bella found what she deemed the "perfect spot." She spread the blanket out on the sand before securing the edges with some rocks. I hadn't taken it to account how windy it was going to be on the shore.

Once she was settled on the blanket, I took a seat next to her and begin to unload the basket. I just hoped sand didn't get in our food. Nothing like eating sandy potato salad. I handed Bella a couple of paper plates and plastic silverware while I dug out the containers of food.

"I hope this okay. I know how much you love chicken strips and potato salad," I told her.

"This is perfect," she said, leaning over and kissing my cheek. I was sure I had a goofy grin on my face, but I didn't care.

We ate, laughed, and talked for hours. The weather had warmed up a bit and after putting the food away, we kicked off our shoes and waded into the water. I hadn't been prepared for how freaking cold it was, and I let out a un-manly squeal as I stepped into it which caused Bella to howl with laughter.

"It's freaking cold!" I tried to explain, but she just shook her head before splashing me. My eyes narrowed, and I splashed her back, taking after her when she turned and ran. I chased after her, catching her around her waist, and swinging her around. She let out a squeal before wrapping her arms around me, and I couldn't resist leaning down and placing a gentle kiss on her lips. We got lost in each other, completing forgetting our surroundings. A throat clearing had us breaking apart, and we both turned and saw Bella's cousin, Seth, grinning at us.

"This is a public beach, you know," he said, teasingly.

We both blushed and mumbled apologies which Seth waved off. "No worries."

We chatted with Seth for a bit more until some of his friends arrived and they took off down the beach, and we headed back to our blanket. Not too much later, Leah showed up with a group of guys. There were at least five of them, each one bigger and taller than Emmett. I had to admit the group made me nervous. I think Bella must have felt it as well because she scooted closer to me and clasped my hand tightly. Thankfully, Leah and her gang of friends walked by, although Leah did manage to shoot us a dirty look. I really didn't know what that girl's problem was.

We stayed on the beach until the sun began to set, and the temperature began to drop. We gathered up our stuff and headed back to my car with our hands clasped together. I wasn't ready for our date to end, so I asked her if she wanted to go get some ice cream. She nodded, and we headed toward the small ice cream shop in town.

Soon, we were eating our ice cream at a small table outside the ice cream shop when we heard a nasally voice, causing both of us to cringe. A quick glance over my shoulder showed Lauren, Jessica, and Mike headed our way.

"Want to take our ice cream to go?" I asked, not wanting to deal with them.

Bella shook her head. "Nope. I'm on a date with my newly re-instated boyfriend, so I'm going to sit here and eat my ice cream."

We sat there teasing each other and stealing bites of ice cream until Lauren and her friends stopped next to our table.

"Well, isn't this cozy," she said in a sickeningly sweet voice.

"We think so," Bella replied, barely acknowledging her and turning back to me.

Unfortunately, Lauren, Mike, and Jessica didn't take the hint and decided to sit down at our table without an invite. I knew Jessica had apologized to Bella, but I didn't understand why Jessica still hung out with Lauren. Bella made a disgruntled sound and gave Lauren a glare.

"You know the polite thing to do is ask if you can sit with us, not just plop your ass down. Then again, you don't have manners."

"Whatever," was Lauren's witty comeback as she tossed her stringy hair behind her shoulder.

Deciding to ignore them, I brought my gaze back to Bella and we resumed our argument over what the best 80s movie was. She argued it was _Legend_. I argued it was _Labyrinth._ Lauren would constantly try and interrupt us, but we just kept ignoring her. Eventually, it became to much for Lauren.

"So are you two together or what?" she asked, interrupting us.

"Yes," we replied at the same time, grinning at each other when she let out a huff.

"You ready to go?" I asked Bella, getting up and throwing away our trash when she nodded. Without saying goodbye to the annoying three trio, we got in my car, and I drove her home. I pulled into her driveway and put the car in park before turning to face Bella.

"Thanks for a great first date," Bella told me with a smile, and I smiled back telling her I'd had a great time as well. Leaning across the console, I placed a gentle kiss on her lips which she returned. We quickly lost ourselves in the kiss and were scared crapless when someone knocked on the window. Breaking apart, we saw Emmett grinning at us, his arms crossed over his chest.

"I take it you kids made up?" he asked after we got out of the car. Bella smacked him on the arm and told him it was none of his business, but yes, we were together. I walked her up to her door with Emmett tagging behind, and I told her I'd see her at school in the morning before giving her a chaste kiss.

….

"Whoohoo! Freedom, baby!" Emmett shouted as he ran out the front doors of the school. We couldn't help but laugh as he attempted to do a cartwheel across the sidewalk, failing miserably.

It was hard to believe an entire school year had gone by since I'd moved to Forks. So much had happened in the past nine months. Some of it good and some of it bad, but all in in all, a pretty amazing nine months.

"Any plans for the summer, Ed?" Jasper asked me as we climbed into my Volvo.

I shrugged as I pulled out of the school lot. "No clue. I'll probably see if I can't find a summer job, but other than that, nothing."

"You aren't going to Florida?" Bella asked me, knowing that my mother had been emailing me recently about spending the summer with her.

"I might go visit for a week, but no longer. What about you guys?" I asked.

Jasper informed me he needed to find a job as well. Alice would pick up a few more hours at the little boutique she worked at, and Bella would continue to work at the diner. I was also informed that the Swans camped a lot in the summer, and I was welcome to come with if I wanted. I was on board with that. I wanted to spend as much time as I could with Bella.

"Are you coming in?" Bella asked me as I pulled into their driveway. I shook my head as I explained that Carlisle had asked me to come home after I dropped them off.

"I'll try and stop by later, if that's okay?"

"Of course," she said, leaning in and giving me a kiss.

After Bella, Jasper, and Alice got out of my car, I headed home. I parked my car in the drive and walked into the house where I found Carlisle and Esme sitting on the couch.

"How was your last day of school?" Carlisle asked as I plopped down on the recliner.

"It was good. I'm ready for summer though."

"Well then, how would you feel about taking a two week vacation later this month?" he asked. I was all about taking a vacation, and I told them so.

Esme beamed. "Excellent. My family owns an island off the coast of Brazil, and I was thinking that we could go for a couple of weeks later this month."

I stared at her like she'd told me her family owned an island. That couldn't possibly be true. _Who the hell owned an island?_

"Seriously?" my voice squeaked.

Esme let out a laugh. "Yes. My grandfather bought it for my grandmother and since their death, it's been shared amongst the family."

I was floored. I knew that Esme came from money, but it must have been a hell of a lot of money in order to own an island. I sat there for a few minutes trying to process it all. I was going to be vacationing on an island in Brazil! I could barely contain my excitement until it hit me that going on this vacation meant I wouldn't get to see Bella for two weeks. Immediately, I sobered up.

As if she could read my mind, Esme gave me a smile and said, "Bella's invited."

I was thrilled to hear that, but I knew the Swans probably couldn't afford a plane ticket to Brazil. Especially, since they would have two kids in college soon.

"I think she'd love to go, but I don't think they can afford it," I told Esme quietly. She patted my arm and informed she'd already spoken to Charlie and Renee and everything would work out. Apparently, Charlie and Renee were telling Bella later today.

I was actually surprised the chief was letting Bella go on a two week trip with me, especially since he'd busted us groping each other a few nights back. Talk about embarrassing. We'd been in Bella's room with the door slightly cracked open, and we'd been laying on her bed. What had started out as a sweet kiss had turned into a hot make out session which had led to hands running over clothing. Eventually those hands went under the clothing and of course, that was when Charlie walked in and busted us. I'd thought for sure he was going to shoot me. Thankfully, he didn't, but we were told that we weren't allowed to be in her room alone.

Needless to say, I was ecstatic that she was going to be able to go with me. I threw my arms around Esme and then Carlisle, thanking them profusely before running upstairs to dump my bag on my bed and dig around for my passport. A little while later my phone rang, and I grinned seeing it was Bella.

"Holy crap, Edward! We're going to Brazil!" she squealed into my ear as soon as I answered. I let out a laugh and had to admit I felt like squealing myself, however, I managed to control myself.

"It's going to be amazing!" I told her. "I can hardly wait. Although, I'm still in a bit of shock. Esme's family owns a freaking island!"

We talked for hours, both of us Googling places to see and touristy things to do in Brazil. By the time we hung up later that night, we had a list of sights we wanted to see and activities we wanted to do. Brazil fever had kicked in.

Before I knew it, the four of us were sitting in first class on a plane to Brazil. Okay, on a plane to New York City where we'd have a five hour layover before leaving for Rio de Janerio. Bella and I slept the entire five hour flight to New York, both of us exhausted since we'd had to leave Forks a little after two in the morning to get to the airport on time.

By four that afternoon, the four of us were in a crowded-ass airport, fighting through the crowds to find the exit and then a cab. Even though we had five hours until our flight left, that wasn't a whole lot of time to do much in New York. Not that that stopped Carlisle. He grabbed us a cab and directed the driver to the main branch of the New York City Library. He knew of Bella's love of reading, and she'd mentioned that she'd love to see it.

An hour an a half later thanks to traffic, we pulled up in front of the library. Bella's eyes were huge as we walked toward the lion statues that framed the steps up to the library. Turning to me with a huge smile and wide eyes, she begged to have her picture taken with one of them. Many pictures later, we went inside and wandered around for a bit before Carlisle told us we needed to leave. As we left, we grabbed some hot dogs from a vendor to eat before catching a cab back to the airport.

"We'll hit up New York and do the whole tourist thing," I promised her. I'd find a way to make it happen.

Two hours later, we were boarding the plane for our nine hour flight. Bella and I managed to keep each other occupied for most of it. We played games, we talked, we read, and managed to keep our hands and lips to ourselves for the most part. Carlisle and Esme were sitting behind us, and I didn't want them to get mad at us.

Finally, after a turbulent and bumpy flight, we landed in Rio de Janeiro. From the airport we caught a cab to some docks where there was a boat waiting to take us to the island. Bella and I were both a bit quiet just soaking in the Brazilian sun and the fact that we were in Brazil. It was freaking amazing!

"It's beautiful here," Bella murmured as I helped her aboard the boat. I agreed with her. It truly was, and I could only imagine that the island would be even more beautiful. I was right. An hour and a half later, the boat pulled up to a dock. We unloaded our luggage and from the dock I could see the house and it was huge. I'd thought Carlisle's house was big, but it had nothing on this monstrosity. Esme grinned with delight at the looks of shock and awe on all of our faces as she led the way up to the mansion.

"My grandparents had six children so they made sure to build a house big enough so they could each have their own rooms. Grandad kept adding on to it over the years once the grandchildren started coming along," she explained. "My brother is an architect and he decided to modernize the place, so it's got all the latest gadgets and whatnot."

Esme unlocked the door, and we walked into the most amazing house I'd ever set foot in. There were no words to describe it. Esme led us up the stairs to where some of the bedrooms were and told us to each go pick out a room. I followed Bella down the hall, watching with a grin as she walked into room after room. Eventually, she picked one out that had a door leading to a balcony that overlooked the ocean. Of course, I chose the room next to hers.

After we'd each unpacked, we headed downstairs to find Esme and Carlisle in the largest living room known to mankind. I flopped down on one of the couches bringing Bella with me and let out a sigh, fighting back sleep. While I was beyond excited to be in Brazil, I was also exhausted. It had been a long trip, but I knew that in order to acclimate to the time change, we needed to go to bed on Brazilian time.

"Want to hit up the beach?" Bella asked, enthusiasm in her voice.

"Sure. Is that okay?" I asked my parents. They nodded, although we were warned not to wander to far off. The island, while somewhat small, had some undeveloped areas that could be dangerous.

Getting off the couch, I grabbed Bella's hand and we headed upstairs. We each went to our own rooms to change and met in the hallway once done. Bella came out of her room wearing a pair of tiny shorts, a tank top, and flip flops. I could see what looked like a blue bikini top underneath it. She was trying to kill me.

As we walked back into the living room, Esme handed us a straw bag that contained towels, water, and sunscreen. I took the bag from Esme and Bella tossed her camera, phone, and Kindle into it. Then Esme practically pushed us out the door. I think she and Carlisle wanted some alone time, and I certainly didn't have a problem being alone with Bella.

Hand in hand, Bella and I headed out the front door and past the dock. We kicked of our shoes and strolled down the white sand beach, enjoying the warmth of it under our feet. There was a pair of lounge chairs under an umbrella along the beach, and we decided to use them. I set the bag down and dug out our towels to spread across the chairs. Once I was done with that, I took a moment to take in the amazing sights around me. Palm trees swayed in the gentle breeze, and the ocean was the most a spectacular blue.

Bella sat down on the lounge chair next to me and pulled off her tank top, leaving me stunned and a bit breathless. She was, indeed, wearing a blue bikini. A little blue bikini. It wasn't really that little, but I'd never seen her wear something so small.

"Will you put some lotion on my back?" Bella asked, interrupting my thoughts. I took the bottle from her and rubbed it on her back, enjoying the feel of her skin beneath my hands. When I was done, I asked her to do the same. I barely held back a moan at the feel of her tiny hands on my skin.

"All done," she said, wiping her hands off on the edge of her towel before putting the lotion back in the bag. Knowing that it would take a few minutes for the lotion to soak in, I stretched out on the lounge chair, enjoying the feel of the heat. I'd really missed warm weather.

As some point I must have dozed off because I woke up to kisses being pressed to my face. Slowly, I opened my eyes and found myself staring into the beautiful brown eyes of my girl.

"Hey, I didn't want you to sleep too long or get too hot. Want to get in the ocean?"

I followed her to the water, trying not to stare at her butt as she walked, but it was a battle that I was loosing. She was gorgeous.

"Come on, slow poke!"

I narrowed my eyes and ran toward her, grinning as her eyes widened. I swept her up in my arms before wading out and dropping her in the water. She came up sputtering before attempting to dunk me. We played in the water for hours until I noticed that Bella's shoulders were starting to turn red.

"Come on, love. Let's get in the shade and reapply the lotion. You're starting to burn," I told her. I could feel my own shoulders starting to burn as well. It was bound to happen when two of the whitest people on the planet spent hours in the sun.

After reapplying the suntan lotion, we lay on our stomachs on our chairs, talking to each other and taking pictures. Renee had made Bella promise to take as many pictures as her camera and phone could hold. A little while later, Esme and Carlisle came down on the beach and hung out with us.

We stayed on the beach until four in the afternoon and by that time, I could hardly keep my eyes open. The sun, the heat, and the traveling had finally caught up with me. We gathered up our stuff and headed back to the house where we ate cold cut sandwiches for dinner. Esme had had the fridge stocked up before we'd arrived, so we wouldn't have to waste time grocery shopping.

After dinner, we discussed our plans for the next day. Esme told us that she'd show us around the island and then we could spend the rest of the day relaxing. It was all suggested that we'd go into Rio later in the week to do some sightseeing. With our plans solidified for the next day, Bella and I wandered upstairs. As much as I wanted to hang out with her, I was fighting to stay awake, so I gave her a goodnight kiss before heading to my room.

Exhausted, I managed to strip out of my bathing suit and toss on a pair of boxers before collapsing in the most wonderful bed I'd ever slept on. It was a king-sized bed with one of those foam mattresses, and I fell asleep almost instantly. At one point during the night, I woke up confused and disoriented before I remembered where I was. Brazil with Bella. I had a feeling this was going to be the best vacation ever.

* * *

a/n: As always, let me know what you thought. I'm on vacation starting Friday morning, and I'll be in a cabin in the woods with very limited Internet access, so chances are good I won't update until I get back in a week. There's one regular chapter left plus the epilogue.


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Why is it that vacations never last long enough? I had a great time, but it's back to work on Sunday night.**

* * *

I didn't remember my bed ever being so comfortable, I thought with a sigh as I stretched out and cuddled my pillow closer. Then my eyes flew open. I wasn't in my bed in Forks. I was in a monster-sized bed in Brazil. I muffled a squeal in my pillow before rolling over on my side and staring at the view out my window. I could see the waves rolling in and crashing on the beautiful beach. I'd thought for sure it was all a dream, but I was so glad that it wasn't.

When Mom and Dad had sat me down and told me the Cullens had invited me to go to Brazil on vacation with them, I'd been floored. But when Mom and Dad had said that I could go, I'd been beyond thrilled and more than a little stunned. I knew that money was a bit tight and even though Rose had gotten a scholarship, Emmett hadn't, so they would be paying for his schooling out of pocket. Or at least some of it. I'd told them if they couldn't afford it, it was no big deal, but they'd told me not too worry about the money.

Next thing I knew, I was on a plane to Brazil. Well, a couple of planes, but that wasn't important. The fact that I was in Brazil for two weeks with my boyfriend was what was important. Two whole freaking weeks of sun and fun! I bet my siblings were jealous as could be, and I felt slightly guilty that I got to be on this awesome vacation while they puttered around home.

A knocking on my door interrupted my thoughts, and I called out for whoever it was to enter. A rumpled Edward came into my room, looking all kinds of delicious and flopped down on my bed, pulling me in close and burying his face in my shoulder, pressing open mouthed kisses to it.

"Morning, sweet girl," he murmured.

"Morning, handsome," I said, rolling over until I was facing him and tossed a leg over his. "You look tired."

"I am. I could probably sleep for a week, but Esme made me get up. She's got breakfast ready for us," he told me.

It took a few tries, but I got the boy to move and we headed downstairs in our pajamas. Esme had outdone herself. There were eggs, bacon, toast, and tons of fruit. I took a little of everything and thanked her.

"It was my pleasure. After breakfast, why don't you all shower and get dressed, and then we'll go on a tour of the island."

It sounded like a good plan to me. Thirty minutes later, I was dressed in shorts, a tank top, and sneakers with my camera at the ready. The four of us headed out the back door of the house and through a beautiful garden that led to an old trail. Esme had sprayed us down with bug spray, not too mention sunblock, before we left.

"Stay on the trail," she warned. "There's snakes and creepy crawlies in the woods. Some monkeys as well."

I shuddered at the thought of snakes and creepy crawlies. I certainly didn't want any of those crawling on me. The trail leading into the woods wasn't very wide, so we had to walk single file. Esme was in the front, then me, Edward, and Carlisle bringing up the rear. The further we walked into the woods, the darker it got with the sun breaking through small breaks in the trees. Not that that stopped me from taking pictures. Beautiful birds were flying overhead or sitting on branches, singing songs, and I swore I spotted a monkey hiding in the treetops.

We'd hiked for about forty minutes, when Esme pointed to a small path off to the right. She told us that it lead to a waterfall and asked if we wanted to go. It was getting warmer out, and I was sweating more than a bit, but I immediately told her I was in. Carlisle and Edward both agreed as well, and we began the trek down the smaller path. The path was littered with branches and rocks, making walking down it a bit treacherous, but it so worth it. The sound of the roaring falls greeted us first, and then we walked around a bend and the most amazing sight greeted us. There was an opening in the canopy allowing sunlight to beam down into the pool of water that the waterfall was rushing into.

"Wow!" Edward whispered as I nodded in agreement.

We stayed there for an hour, taking in the beauty, and I snapped picture after picture. I wanted to upload them once we got back because everyone back home had to see this. A few hours later, we arrived back at the house, and I rushed to take a shower and get rid of the dirt and sweat. Once clean, I threw on my bathing suit, slathered on some sunscreen, threw on a cover-up, and headed to Edward's room.

His door was cracked open, so I gave a quick knock before entering. He was sitting on his bed in a pair of swim trunks with his laptop opened before him.

"Hey, sweet girl," he said, looking up and giving me a smile.

"Hey. Do you mind if I borrow your laptop when you're done? I want to upload those photos I took earlier."

"Of course," he said, pulling me down next to him. I sat next to him, my head on his shoulder as he finished sending off an email to his mother. Shew was more than put out that he wasn't going to Florida for a visit. He'd opted against it and considering how things had gone last time he was there, I couldn't blame him.

"All yours," he said, giving me a kiss on the lips before sliding the laptop over to me. I plugged my camera into the computer before logging into my Facebook account, and began uploading the photos. Within minutes of uploading them, I'd gotten several likes and a few comments.

"You're Facebook friends with Jessica?" he asked, his chin resting on my shoulder after reading her comment which basically called me a lucky bitch.

I nodded. "Yeah. After she apologized to me, she sent me a friend request. I figured, what the hell?"

Once I was done uploading my pictures, I sent an email to Mom and Dad and told them I'd Skype them later in the week. I logged off my email account and closed the laptop, leaning against Edward. I loved that we were getting to spend so much time together. After everything we'd gone through, it was nice to be able to relax with just the two of us. Sure, Esme and Carlisle were here, but they were giving us time to ourselves. I also think this trip was something of a honeymoon for them since they hadn't taken one.

"Want to hit up the beach?" I asked after we'd been laying on his bed for a while, kissing and talking.

"You bet," he said with a grin. We headed downstairs, letting Esme and Carlisle know what we were we were going.

"I forgot to tell you that there are some rafts and floats in the mudroom off the kitchen," Esme told us. Thanking her, we headed to the mudroom and Edward grabbed two canvas rafts. While he was grabbing those, I got the bag we'd used the day before and shoved bottles of water, sunscreen, my Kindle, and towels into it.

We decided to hit up the beach on the opposite side of where we'd been yesterday. Hand in hand, we strolled down the beach, and I loved the fact that there was no one else around. No fighting through crowds of people for the best spot, no overweight people in skimpy attire, no noise.

"How about here?" Edward asked, although it didn't honestly matter where we sat. We had the entire place to ourselves.

We got set up then grabbed our rafts and headed into the ocean. It was fantastic. We basked in the sun on our rafts, holding hands, and enjoying the peace and quiet. I never wanted it to end.

* * *

"I don't want to go back," I whined to Edward as we finished loading our stuff into the boat. "Can't we just stay here forever?"

He let out a laugh as he pulled me into his arms. "I wish, sweet girl. I'd love to stay holed up here with you forever."

I thought that sounding like a great idea. It wasn't that I didn't miss my family, because I did. As loud and as annoying as they could be, I really did miss them something awful. But, there was something about being "alone" on an island with my boyfriend. We'd spent loads of time with Esme and Carlisle, especially when we were playing tourist on the main island, but they'd also given us a lot of alone time. They had trusted us not to let our hormones completely rule us, and we'd behaved for the most part. There may have been some groping over and under clothing, but that was as far as we'd taken things. As much as I loved Edward and he me, neither of us was quite ready to take that next giant step.

"You two have everything?" Carlisle asked and we both nodded. I'd had to buy an extra bag because I'd bought a lot of souvenirs for the family.

Twenty long-ass hours later, we arrived in Seattle, and we were all exhausted. Since it was a little after four in the morning, Carlisle and Esme told me I could sleep over at their house. I was fine with that. I didn't want to wake my family up because I knew that I'd be bombarded with questions and their wanting every detail of my trip. I'd like to be awake before I dealt with them, particularly Alice.

As soon as we stepped through the door of the Cullen house, I was ready to crash right then and there. I could have easily slept on their hallway floor. Thankfully, the guest room wasn't too far away and before I knew it, I was fast asleep.

"Bella? Bella? Bella!" I heard an annoying, high pitched voice yelling as the bed I was sleeping in began to bounce. "Wake up! Please!"

I peeked an eye open and found Alice bouncing up and down on the edge of the bed. Ugh. I so didn't want to deal with her.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice muffled by my pillow.

"Waking you up," she said as if it was obvious.

"Go away," I mumbled, trying to push her off the bed. A quick glance at the clock showed it was a little after eleven. We hadn't gotten back to Forks until after seven.

"Bella—"

"No, Alice! We've didn't get in until seven this morning. I really hope that you didn't wake Esme and Carlisle up," I growled.

She let out a huff before mumbling that she didn't realize that we'd gotten in so late. She apologized, and I promised her I'd be home in the afternoon where she could pester me all she wanted.

After she left, I slept for another four hours before Edward woke me up with small, sweet, kisses. I took a quick shower, changed clothes, then Edward drove me home. With a sigh, I climbed out of his car, grabbing one of my bags from the backseat while he grabbed the other.

"Ready for the craziness that is Alice?" he asked.

I shook my head. I was still exhausted, but I had promised her she could ask me all the questions she wanted. I was rethinking that promise right about now. Wearily, I walked up the steps of the porch and opened the door. Within seconds, I was wrapped up in hugs and being pestered with questions.

"Look at you," Mom said as she hugged me tight. "You've got a tan."

Yeah, I'd actually managed to get a light tan. Edward, on the other hand, still looked as white as a vampire. He'd actually burned our first week there, but it had faded back to white. The boy just didn't tan.

Breaking away from Mom and then Dad, Edward followed me into the living room, dragging the suitcase with gifts behind him. I fell onto the couch, pulling Edward down next to me, and let out a sigh. It was good to be home despite the chaos that was about to erupt.

"Before you all burst, and I can tell Alice is about to do so, let me tell you about my trip. Then if you have questions, I'll answer them," I told them. That seemed to placate them. For the next hour, Edward and I spoke about our vacation. We talked about snorkeling, hiking through rainforests, swimming with dolphins, and enjoying a Brazilian festival. I handed my camera over so they could see all the pictures that I'd taken, which had been a ton. I'd had to buy a new memory card because I'd used up all the space on my other one.

"What's in the suitcase, Bells?" Emmett asked once I got done answering a few questions.

"Presents," I said, grinning when his eyes got big.

"Why didn't you say that in the first place! I love presents!" he cried.

I rolled my eyes. Sometimes Emmett was nothing more than an overgrown child. Opening up the suitcase, I began doling out presents to everyone. I'd used most of my piddly savings to buy them gifts, but it was worth it to see the looks on their faces. Mom, Alice, and Rose had all gotten clothing and jewelry while I'd gotten the boys and Dad books, games, and other knickknacks. I was hugged and thanked profusely, but I waved it off. It wasn't like I could go on vacation and not get them something. That would've been rude.

By the end of the week, I was back on Forks time and back at work. I'd picked up a few extra hours at the diner since it was busier in the summer, and Edward had gotten a job at Newton's Outfitters. He didn't mind the work, but he hated working with Mike. I didn't blame him. If I worked with Mike, I'd probably find a way to accidentally lock him in the storage room. As it was, I got to work with Jessica and my favorite person of all time, Lauren.

Apparently, Jessica always worked at the diner in the summer to help her mom out, but she'd begged Mrs. Stanley to let Lauren work there. From what Jessica had told me, Lauren's father had told her she had to find a job to pay off her credit cards or she'd be cut off from them. I just wished that Lauren would have a job elsewhere. She was not making my life fun or easy. She whined and complained about everything, but I could handle that. What I couldn't handle was her trying to take tips that weren't hers. The first time she did, I called her out on it which she denied. The second time she did it, I went to Mrs. Stanley about it. I worked hard for that money and no way was she going to take it from me.

Needless to say, I wasn't Lauren's favorite person at the moment. She'd been at the diner for less than a week, and she was already on probation. Mrs. Stanley warned her to straighten up her act, or she'd be out of a job. I figured she'd be gone by the next week.

Friday night, I got home from work and plopped down on my bed and kicked off my shoes. I missed seeing Edward. We'd barely spent any time together since we'd gotten back from Brazil. Our schedules didn't match up. When I was off work, he was on and when I was on, he was off. It was driving us crazy.

"Hey, sweet girl," came the voice of the man I'd been missing.

"What are you doing here?" I asked as I jumped up from my bed and wrapped my arms around him, inhaling his wonderful smell. "Don't you have to open in the morning?"

"I do," he said, placing a kiss on my lips. "But, I missed seeing my girl."

I melted into him, not realizing just how much I had missed him. His arms were wrapped tightly around my waist while my hands played in his hair. I knew we weren't supposed to be alone in my room, but I wasn't about to move from his arms, especially when his lips met mine.

Our kiss started off slow and sweet but quickly changed to an intense passion. His hands tightened their grip on my hips, while mine gripped his head, holding him close. I felt like I couldn't close enough to him. Our hips were flush up against one another, and I could feel just how happy he was to see me.

"Uh, Ed?" Jasper's voice asked, breaking our moment.

Edward sighed and dropped his head on my shoulder. "Yeah, Jasper?"

"Sorry to interrupt, but Mom wanted me to ask you if want to come over for dinner tomorrow."

I think we all knew that Mom really wanted to make sure that Edward and I weren't doing anything inappropriate and she'd sent Jasper to do her dirty work. I knew Dad had told her all about the compromising position he'd found Edward and I in, because the next day Mom had given me _The Talk_, again. I'd been subjected to the damn thing four times. Four! First time she'd sat all us girls down and had talked to us, then again when Jasper and Alice paired up, then when Emmett and Rose hooked up, then when Edward and I first got together, and then again after Dad caught Edward and I.

"Sure. I have to work until five though," Edward told Jasper.

After a few more kisses, I walked Edward to the door where he promised that he'd call me first chance he got.

* * *

"How is that school starts up in a month? Where the hell did summer go?" I asked Edward as we curled up on his couch together.

He let out a laugh before answering me. "Haven't you heard that saying, time flies when you're having fun? Guess, we've had too much this summer."

Which was true. We'd had a blast over the summer. We'd managed to work around our work schedules and had found a routine that allowed us to see each other. Our whole summer had been spent with one another or with our families. There had been a few camping trips and plenty of trips to the arcade or to First Beach.

"I guess so," I said. "I'm not really looking forward to senior year. Too much pressure. SATs, ACTs, college applications. Ugh."

Arms tightened around my waist. "I hear you. Plus, I'm going to try out for baseball this year."

I knew that he really wanted to play, and I felt a bit selfish when my first thought was that I'd never get to see him because he'd have practice. I dismissed the thought quickly. He loved baseball, and I wasn't going to stand in his way if he wanted to play.

"You'll make the team. I don't have any doubt about that," I told him, turning my head and placing a kiss to his chin. He leaned down to capture my lips with his, adjusting his body slightly so that I was able to roll over and face him.

Before long, my hands were buried in his hair as his tongue dueled with mine and his hands roamed up and down my body. I tossed a leg over his hip, bringing our groins closer, and we both let out a moan. Things were getting out of hand, and I knew that we needed to stop. Edward must have read my mind because a few seconds later, he removed his hands from me and pulled his lips away from mine.

"Sorry, sweet girl. You make me lose my mind," he said with a snicker.

"Oh, yeah blame the girl," I replied with an eye roll.

It was a good thing we'd stopped when we had because Carlisle and Esme arrived home a few minutes later. I was sure they knew we'd been up to something. How could they not with the way Edward's hair looked, and I was fairly certain mine didn't look much better.

Later that night as I was in bed, all I could think about was my future. Hopefully, senior year would go well and I'd get into college. Preferably, the same college as Edward. I didn't want us to be apart. Then my thoughts drifted to what life at college with Edward would be. Would we live on campus or get an apartment to ourselves? Would he ask me to marry him? Would we get great jobs, a nice house, and a few kids? All these thoughts floated around my brain, keeping me from sleep.

When I woke up the next morning, I was cranky and worried. What if Edward didn't want the same things I did? Then I told myself I was being stupid. We'd discussed our future more times than I could count, and each and every time he told me he wanted to be with me forever. There was no one else for him. I was it.

"What's up with you?" Rose asked over breakfast the next morning.

I shrugged. "Nothing. Jut thinking that's all."

She gave me a look, like she knew what I was thinking about it, but didn't say anything more. I was quiet all day, and I could tell that my family was worried even though I told them everything was fine. Unable to take their concerned looks anymore, I escaped to Newton's Outfitters and found Edward behind the counter when I walked in. Just seeing him made me feel a million times better. There was something about him that was calm and soothing and exactly what I needed at the moment.

His face lit up when he saw me, and he leaned over the counter to kiss my cheek.

"What brings you by?" he asked. "Not that I'm not happy to see you."

"I thought maybe we could eat lunch together on your break."

His smile lit up his face as he eagerly agreed. I stood and chatted with him while we waited for Mike to come back from his break so Edward could take his. Thirty minutes later, Mike came in with Lauren in tow and the two were holding hands. That was a new development, and one I was positive Jessica wouldn't be happy about. Everyone knew she had a major crush on Mike except for Mike. And the fact that her best friend was poaching was not going to go down well.

"Hey, Bella," Mike said as they headed our way. I gave a small wave and said hello before Edward told Mike that he was taking his lunch. Edward only had half an hour so we couldn't go too far. The closest place was the diner and even though I'd be there later in the evening, we opted to eat there.

We got a booth and ordered a couple of burgers, fries, and milkshakes before catching up. Not like we hadn't seen each other the day before, but I always loved talking to him.

"I'm assuming the Mike/Lauren relationship is new?" I asked him because I was sure if he'd seen them together before he would have told me.

He nodded. "I guess so."

I shook my head and told him it wasn't going to end well. First of all, the two were users and were probably just using each other to fulfill their needs, and we both wrinkled our noses at that thought. Second of all, Jessica was sure to be pissed when she found out. However, I wasn't going to say anything. It wasn't really my business, but I told Edward I had a feeling that work was going to be interesting.

I was right. Several hours later, I was standing in the diner watching as the cat fight of all cat fights broke out between the two girls. The night had started off fine with Lauren being her usual catty self, but I hadn't really cared. I'd learned to ignore her as much as possible.

Things were going well until Mike, Eric, and Tyler showed up. They took a seat in Lauren's section, but it was when Mike reached over and gave Lauren's ass a squeeze that Jessica lost her shit. The plate she was holding had fallen to the floor, and there was a look of betrayal on her face. Hence, the cat fight that I was now watching and there was no way in hell, I was going to try and stop it. I had no desire to get clawed, slapped, or bitten. I did, however, call Mrs. Stanley on her cell and let her know that a fight was going down between Jessica and Lauren.

They were making such a raucous that even Embry came out from behind the counter. He tried to break it up but stopped when one of the girls clawed his arm.

"Fuck that. Girls so aren't worth the trouble," I heard him mutter as he walked back to the kitchen.

A few more minutes passed by and tried to continue working as if two girls weren't fighting for their lives near the front of the store. Heck, some of the customers seemed extremely interested in watching the fight. Who knew they'd get free, live entertainment with their dinner?

Someone must have called the police though because a few minutes later, Dad showed up and he looked pissed. He yanked the two girls apart and threatened to arrest them both for assault and battery if they didn't stop immediately. The girls complied right away, both of them red-faced and looking the worse for wear.

Mrs. Stanley arrived not too far behind Charlie, and she was furious at both Jessica and Lauren. After a long talk with Charlie, both girls were allowed to leave, but not without warning. I watched as Dad shook his head and gave a sigh before taking a seat at the counter. My eyes narrowed as I watched him order some prime rib.

"Does Mom know that you're eating prime rib?" I asked him, scaring the crap out of him. He gave me a sheepish look and begged me not to tell. Like I would. I didn't blame him one bit for not wanting to eat at home.

"It was awful, Bells. One of her weird casserole concoctions. So when I got the call about a fight at the dinner, I came right out. Not for the food," he was quick to assure me. "But to make sure you were okay. It doesn't hurt that this place happens to have an excellent prime rib dinner either."

I let out a snort but promised to keep his secret, but I had a feeling that Mom would find out. She always did.

Dad stayed until closing, and then followed me home where Mom busted him right away. The man had gravy from the mashed potatoes on his shirt. He gave me a glare and asked why I hadn't told him. I pleaded innocent. I had no idea what he was talking about.

"Traitor," he said with a twinkle in his eye.

"What happened at the diner?" Alice asked the minute she got the chance.

With a grin, I told them all about the fight between Jessica and Lauren and the fact that it was over Mike Newton of all people. They roared with laughter, unable to believe that Newton could cause that kind of trouble.

"You know, from now on, he's going to be strutting around like a proud peacock thinking he's the shit," Jasper said, wincing when Mom hollered at him to watch his language.

I had a feeling he was right, and the next day Edward confirmed it. Mike had told Edward the whole story, although he'd embellished quite a bit.

"You should have seen him. He was strutting around the store acting like he was all that," Edward told me with a grin. "It was ridiculous. He was going on about how Lauren and Jessica were fighting over how hot he was."

I let out a snort. "No, it was over the fact that Lauren poached on Jessica's territory. If you know you're best friend likes a guy, that guy becomes off-limits. It's the girl code."

"Yeah, well now I get to spend the next three weeks dealing with his 'I'm hotter than shit' attitude," he said with a grimace.

"Sorry, babe. At least I don't have to deal with Lauren or Jessica," I told him, relieved by the fact. Mrs. Stanley had fired them both for fighting in her restaurant. She had been beyond furious, and I was glad that she wasn't my mom. I had a feeling Jessica would be grounded until graduation.

Those next three weeks flew by and before I knew it, Rose and Emmett had left for college and the rest of us were preparing for our senior year. I couldn't wait for it to begin. So, it was with a smile and holding the hand of the most wonderful boyfriend a girl could ask for, that I stepped into Forks High for my senior year.

* * *

**a/n: Okay, folks, next chapter is Tuesday and it's the last one. *sniffle* As always, let me know what you thought!**


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